Apples and Trees
by lostnthesound
Summary: Rachel's all grown up with a child of her own. Mr. Schuester is graying, and Shelby Corcoran is trying desperately to keep Beth from finding out what really happened with Quinn and Puck.  Finchel/Quick/Tartie eventually.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello cyberland. This is my first fanfic so please be nice! I would love to make this story into a few chapters, but only if I have readers and reviews. I am also open to any suggestions you all have with the storyline! Thanks for reading!**

"_Do you want to keep her?"_

"_No… Do you?"_

As the fierce staccato of her alarm clock echoed throughout her small bedroom, the smell of frying bacon wafted in through the crack in the door. Trying desperately to block out it's incessant screaming, she pulled her pillow tighter around her ears.

"Beth! Come on! You have to get up and ready for school! Jason will be here in ten minutes!"

Moaning in response, Beth threw back her quilt and was instantly shocked as the cold air seemed to suffocate her. She quickly tugged on a pair of beige tights, years of ballet giving her ample practice, and jumped into her favorite pair of jeans, which she now realized were a little too snug. Zipping up her McKinley High Dance Team jacket, Beth grabbed her schoolbag and looked in the mirror to make any final adjustments. Starring back at her was a 17 year old girl. Her wavy chestnut hair curled around her shoulders. Her vibrant emerald eyes, and long dark lashes seemed to be silently egging Beth on.

"What are you going to do?" Beth questioned her reflection.

" Beth! Angel! Jason is already outside! You are going to be late!" Shelby, Beth's musically inclined mother, yelled from downstairs.

"I'm coming mom."

With one last exasperated sigh and mournful smile, Beth trotted down the stairs, grabbed the bag of food her mother was holding out for her, kissed her on the cheek, and ran out to her boyfriend's truck.

The ride to school was uneventful, the soft sounds of Journey mumbling in the background. Jason continuously glancing in Beth's direction trying desperately to figure out what was wrong with his girlfriend. As McKinley High's "it" couple emerged from the truck, Jason walked over to Beth leaning in for one last kiss before homeroom. Ever so slyly, Beth turned her head away so that Jason's lips landed on her cheek, a gesture so simple and yet it seemed to speak volumes.

Jason, obviously flustered, ran his left hand through his hair and smiled softly at his girlfriend of four months.

"I guess I will just see you at lunch?" Jason questioned.

Beth just nodded in response and silently reassured herself that she could get through the day.

As Jason sauntered out of her eye line, a swift feeling of nausea overcame Beth's petite frame. Making a beeline to the nearest bathroom, Beth shoved the idiot freshman blocking her path to the toilets. Leaning over the cool porcelain to empty the contents of her stomach, Beth's mind wandered back to a few weeks prior at Savannah Chan's Halloween party. One night, one simple mistake, and now... now what?

Beth droned through the rest of the day. Despite her obvious love for school, she just couldn't pay attention to her teachers when her future was weighing in balance right in front of her eyes. She opted to walk home from school instead of getting a ride home from Jason so she could stop at the local KwikMart.

The smudged convenient store doors advertised new beers and cheap cigarettes. The display of hostess treats set up in a pyramid with the antacids, ironically, close by.

Beth searched the five aisle, until alas, she found the pregnancy tests. She picked up the lavender box, the picture of the baby on the front silently mocking her. As she turned to go checkout, she grabbed two more boxes, just to be sure. The cashier, a young woman who Beth recognized as going to McKinley just a few years previous, silently scanned the tests and looked up into Beth's soft hazel eyes. As Beth was grabbed her purchase, the cashier reached out and held her hand. No words were exchanged, no words were needed. Blinking back the tears, one escaped and slid down Beth's face. The taste of salt evident in her mouth as Beth licked her lips and left the store, the bell chirping as she exited.

Beth had paid over $40 for the three tests, but $40 was a small price to pay for peace of mind.

**So I know that the chapter just kind of ends but I am incredibly eager to get the story out there to see if anyone is interested in reading more, and if I should even bother to write more. Thank you thank you thank you for taking the time to read my little tale. Please review and let me know if you want more. Infinite x's and o's. **


	2. Chapter 2: Dinosaur Pastries

**Hello all. I know this is relatively quick and don't expect this too often, but I had to at least get this story a little farther. Thank you to the four beautiful reviewers. My goal is to get a total of ten reviews with the addition of this new chapter. Oh my goodness, I cannot even express the joy I received after seeing so many favorites and readers. You certainly made my day. Well here is another excerpt of Beth's life. If you have any questions, please ask! I do not own anything except for what I imagine Beth to be. Enjoy.**

_His rough calloused hand ran along the inside of Beth's arm leaving a trail of goosebumps on her milky soft skin. He grabbed the back of her head and pulled her forward, his lips eager to devour her. As their lips collided, Beth couldn't help but wonder what the pleasure truly was in all of this, after all with his tongue jammed down her throat, she was finding it difficult to breathe, and not breathing was not pleasant as all. Beth would never be one of those hardcore girls. He snaked his hand down between her swollen breasts and made small circles around her navel. With each inch further down her body, Beth became more and more aware of what was about to happen. _

_All of a sudden, reality hit and Beth realized that she was in no way ready to take this step with some jock she had just met at a party. She had gotten in a fight with Jason just a few hours prior and the two had unceremoniously broken up. Beth knew that anything she did with this boy tonight would be out of spite and whoever this was didn't deserve to be treated that way, even if he did make the first move. _

_She attempted to push his large frame off of her, but Beth being 5' 3" did not stand a chance against this 6'1" giant who was now gnawing at her neck. _

"_Hmmph. Sst- Stop. Please!" _

_The boy, whom Beth had never seen before that night, pinned her arm's above her head with one hand, and used the other to begin to push up her skirt and down her modest Fruit of the Loom panties. _

_She remembered saying no. _

As Beth counted each brick in the sidewalk on her walk home, the yellow convenience store bag gripped tightly in her hand, she thought back to that night where she had lost her innocence. She stared down at her left hand and thought about the contents inside. Starring back at her on the yellow bag was a giant smiley face.

" What the hell is making you so happy?" Beth pondered aloud.

She neared her childhood home and was relieved to find that her mother's car wasn't in the driveway. Even though Beth did not normally believe in God, she found that desperate times called for desperate measures and began to plead with the Morgan Freeman in the sky.

Once Beth had relieved herself onto all three sticks she found herself pacing back and forth in the kitchen, trying desperately not to look at either the timer or the little pieces of plastic that would ultimately determine the rest of her life.

She decided to pull out the big guns and made some strawberry toaster strudel because a pop tart just wouldn't cut it for a day like today. Squeezing out the white sugary confection, she made a small dinosaur on her pastry. Consequently, she had a conversation with the small cartoon, imagining that the long-neck was begging for its life, and that Beth, the malicious God, would not spare the poor being and continued to bite it's head off. After all, if she couldn't have control over her own life, she should at least have control over her dinosaur's life.

"Brrrriiiiinnnngggg. Brrrriiiinnnngggg. Brrriiinnggg."

"Oh shut up already," Beth groaned in response to the timer's screeching.

Her fingers shaking, Beth picked up the first test and stared at the small screen in the center. Desperately, the picked up the two other tests and could feel the dinosaur, now in her stomach, fighting to get out. Starring back at her were three little plus signs.

"If two negatives make a positive, then why the hell can't three positives equal a negative!"

The hair on the back of Beth's neck stood straight up as she heard the undeniable sound of her mother's keys unlocking the front door. Beth groped the counter top grabbing the three positive tests and shoving them into her knapsack. She plopped down onto the nearest bar stool and tried to look bored as she drew out a brother dinosaur on the next pastry.

Shelby walked into the kitchen and peered over her daughter's shoulder down at the reptile.

"Uh oh. A dinosaur. Honey, what's wrong?" Shelby questioned the adolescent before her.

Beth silently cursed herself for being so easy to read and quickly came up with a valid excuse for her peculiar behavior.

"It's nothing Mom. I just got a B on a test I should've gotten an A on, that's all."

"Oh Angel! A "B" isn't a horrible grade. I mean it is just one test!" Beth shrugged in response. "I know something that is sure to get you out of this slump! Rachel just called me on my drive home from work and was hoping you would come over and watch your nephew tonight."

Beth had always known of Shelby and Rachel's past history. She knew she was the replacement and desperately hoped that Rachel didn't think of her in that way. Despite her sister's bizarre dramatic tendencies, Beth always had looked up to the young woman's passion and ferocity for life. Recently, Beth had been going over to watch Nicky, her four year old nephew, so that Nick's parents could organize their new house a little more. Rachel and Finn, Nick's parents, had just moved down the street because Rachel's seven year run as Fanny Brice on Broadway had come to a close and the couple wanted to raise their young son in a more nurturing environment then the harsh airs of New York.

"Yeah Mom, that would be fine. What time does she need me?"

Kicking a pebble as she sauntered to her sister's house, Beth let the crisp autumn air clear her thoughts. As Beth walked down Plum Street, she couldn't help but laugh at the comical citizens of Lima, Ohio. It was the perfect time of year Mid-November. Halloween season had just finished, leaves had changed, winter coats, scarves, and mittens had been bought and hot chocolate was on tap at the local diner. Everyone in Lima loved this time of year, and for once, Beth agreed.

She neared her sister's cherry red front door, took a deep breath, and rapped on the heavy oak door three times.

**I think this is the perfect place to stop. In the next chapter we will all get to see the Hudson family! If I get enough of an interest I believe I will put the next chapter out within 24 hours, but only if I get the motivation. Also, I would love your opinion on something. I can either make this story last about five more chapters, or I can make it last about 10+ chapters. Please please please let me know how much more you would like. I live for reviews! **


	3. Chapter 3: Tadpoles and Fishes

**Hey guys. Thank you so much for the lovely reviews. A special shout out to MarlisaKristine... I think I might just be writing the rest of the story in anticipation of her lovely reviews. They honestly made me laugh out loud. I have a feeling that writing fanfiction will be my new addiction, as opposed to reading it! If you have yet to answer the question I posed at the end of the last chapter please please please respond in either a review or PM. If you plan on continuing reading this story please put a story alert on it so I know how large of an audience I have. It will help me determine how much more I should write. Without further ado...**

_As consciousness entered Beth's foggy mind, she realized she was still smashed into the corners of the musty couch in Shelley Chan's basement. Her skirt was still shoved up around her waist and her panties were still around her ankles. Dried blood clotted around her inner thighs. She shoved the stray hairs that had fallen out of her pony tail behind her ears. A path of broken beer bottles and crumbled potato chips lead Beth to the small bathroom where she promptly threw up. Turning towards the sink to wash off her face Beth was shocked at the girl staring back at her in the mirror. The smokey eyed look she had worked so hard to perfect the night before, now made her look like a trailer park crack whore. Her upper lip was split and bleeding. Bruises trailed all up and down Beth's arms and neck from where his hands had held her down. Beth turned on the small shower and peeled off her torn clothing. Stepping into the shower, she allowed the waterfall to soothe her worn muscles. As the blood washed off and circled the drain, she hoped with all her heart that this night could be washed off her soul as well._

Beth sat in front of the plasma television plastered above the crackling fireplace. Young Nicholas Arnstein rested his head on her lap, ever trusting of his aunt's warm embrace. Running her fingers through Nick's hair, Beth's mind was not concerned with whether Marlin would ever find Nemo. In turn, Beth mind was consumed with thoughts of stretch marks, epidurals, and lullabies. Starring down at where Beth believed her uterus to be, she drew small circles on her skin, attempting to comfort a being she didn't even fully believe existed.

She looked down at Nick to see that he had fallen asleep. Part of Beth wanted to wake him up because she knew how much he loved the seagulls who were now screeching "Mine!" at her, but she also knew how cranky he would be if she didn't allow him his much needed sleep. His heavy breathing steadied as Nick slipped into a deeper sleep. Images of infants sleeping in much the same manner, cradled in her arms caused Beth to question whether this little tadpole growing inside of her was truly a burden.

"Beth!" Shaken from her daydreams, Beth turned her head towards the direction of the voice and saw her sister standing in the doorway motioning for Beth to follow her into the kitchen. Carefully moving Nick's head off of her lap,

Entering the 50's themed kitchen, Beth smiled at the I Love Lucy poster framed on the wall. Rachel truly loved the idea of being such an icon. In true housewife fashion, Rachel had baked a batch of chocolate chip cookies, the smell overwhelming Beth's senses. Picking up the morsel of manna, Beth devoured the cookie in two bites.

"Hahaha. I am glad you like them," Rachel teased.

"We both know that chocolate is my kryptonite. These aren't "I'm sorry" cookies since you have nothing to apologize for. So, what is it you are trying to get out of me?"

"I could never fool you." Rachel cleared her throat as if the words caught in it were a burden she was desperate to get rid of. " Mom just wanted me to check in, make sure everything was going alright with you."

"Everything is fine Rach." Beth replied passively.

"Everything?" Rachel pondered, "How about Jason? How are you two?"

Beth thought of her boyfriend. Sure, the beginning was rocky, but the morning after Shelley Chan's party, Jason called Beth and the two talked (what a novel idea) and repaired the fresh wounds. She couldn't have asked for a more loving or caring man to spend the rest of her life with. If only he had been the father of the little frog growing inside of her.

"Jason is great. Hey Rachel... how did you know you loved Finn?"

"When I ignored his E sharp," she replied without a moment's hesitation. "It was the night before our first Regionals and we were rehearsing our duet. He never has been able to hit that note. If anyone else in glee club had done such a thing, I would've had their head on a platter. With Finn though, I found it endearing. At first I thought I needed my head examined, but then I realized that, with him, it didn't matter if he hit the right notes because he truly had passion for what he was doing," she waited a beat before adding, "Not as much passion as I, of course."

Beth began to laugh at her sister who had calmed dramatically since the birth of Nick. The two simultaneously stole another cookie and began to laugh at the coincidence. The girls were laughing so hard that they failed to notice the tall figure standing in the doorway.

"Sorry to interrupt the fun, but look what I found!" Finn eagerly pranced towards the girls, which only caused their giggles to intensify. Ignoring the girls, Finn plopped the book he was holding down onto the counter in front of the them. It was his old Thunderclap, open to the glee club's page.

There they were. Beth was caught off guard seeing her parents looking up at her. She had never met Puck and Quinn, mainly because her mother believed if they saw Beth, they would recognize what a grave mistake they had made and instantly want her back, but it still hurt her to be away from them. There was no denying that Beth loved her mother and the life she had with her, but the constant wondering took a toll on her.

As Beth thoughts came back to the present, she realized that Finn had been rambling about the great Slushie debacle of 2009. She couldn't quite shake her mind of the image of Quinn's hand resting on her stomach, protecting a young Beth. Instinctively Beth rested her hand on her own stomach. She would protect this baby, just like Quinn had protected her.

A few hours later, Beth found herself lying on a fleece blanket out underneath the open starry sky. Her head resting on Jason's chest as he rubbed circles in her lower back. The two had been lying there for a while now, both totally loosing track of time, talking about constellations neither of them really knew the names of.

Deep down, Beth knew that if she told Jason about Shelley Chan's party he would be supportive and try with all his might to fix the problem. She also knew that she didn't really want to view her unborn child as a problem. What Jason didn't understand was that sometimes things didn't need to be fixed. If one looks closely enough they will find that nothing was broken in the first place.

" Hey babe..." Jason kissed Beth's head.

"Hm?" she mumbled in response.

"I just... I just thought you should know that I love you."

Beth's eyes began to water as she realized that she couldn't keep both this baby and the boy before her who was so willing to share himself.

"I love you too Jason." As she spoke the words aloud that she had held so dearly in her heart, she realized just how much she would loose on this long road before her.

**Sorry. This chapter wasn't as humorous as the previous chapter, but I needed to clear up a little bit regarding Quinn and Puck. In the next chapter we will actually get to see Beth's school life and a few familiar faces will appear, and we will see a little more interaction between the Hudson and Cochran family. Please please please review and/ or alert this story! I will release the next chapter once I have twenty reviews. Mwahaha.**


	4. Chapter 4: Destination Unknown

**First off, let me just say that this story is going to be epically long. I had the chance to talk to my sister about this story and she helped me plan out the rest of it, so be prepared for a whirlwind. To clear the air... Shelby is no longer the coach of Vocal Adrenaline. Shelby also isn't necessarily keeping Beth and Quinn and Puck apart. The narration is all in Beth's opinion and what Beth has been told. It is not necessarily the truth. We don't really know why Shelby won't let Beth meet her biological parents...yet. I was just wondering if anyone noticed a movie/musical reference in the last chapter. I sure hope someone did! **

_Beth stepped outside the house full of shadows and unwanted memories. Her hair, still wet, sent the occasional drop of water running down her spine causing goosebumps to erupt all over her weak body. The blinding sun scarring her retinas as she tried, with every fiber of her being, to not break down right then and there._

" _Just a few blocks," she pleaded with herself. "Just a few blocks and this nightmare will be over with."_

_Placing one shaky foot in front of the other, Beth attempted to propel herself forward, but was finding it more difficult then she had expected. As Beth's face impacted with the scalding pavement she thought back to her simpler years as a child. Everytime she tripped when she was younger, she used to think her feet were plotting against her and her hands were her only true friends. Beth laid there against the concrete, not daring to move. _

"_If you give up now Beth, he wins," a voice inside her head chided. _

_With a new found strength, she hoisted her body upwards and stood tall. The last few blocks to her childhood home seemed to go by quickly and Beth found herself opening the front door, only to reveal her mother sitting at the kitchen table. _

As Beth sat stoically in her AP Calculus classroom, she secretly cursed Principal Figgins for changing all the analog clocks to digital clocks. It was far less entertaining to watch the numbers go up with each passing minute, then to watch the little second hand terrorize the minute and hour hand, constantly beating them in the endless race of time.

"Ten minutes. That is all that is left of this hell," she thought.

Specks of spit spewed from Mr. Calahan's mouth as he lectured on the importance of limits. Despite Beth's enrollment in such a difficult class, she was, in no way interested in the bizarre mathematics. It was just another unnecessary hoop she had to jump through in order to graduate early.

As the bell rang signaling the end of the day, Beth collected her doodlings of what she imagined Mrs. Calahan to look like, and made the quick jaunt to the choir room where the rest of the glee club was congregating. Glee club had had changed drastically in the seventeen years since Rachel had been in the club. After winning nationals a few years back, Figgins agreed to cut the Cheerios' funding in half to help pay for costumes and travel expenses. With Beth's extensive dance background and unique choreography, the team had a strong chance of winning nationals again this year. Beth didn't have a voice like Rachel's, but she was incredibly skilled when it came to dance, which more than made up for her mediocre vocals.

Standing in the front of the choir room was a graying William Schuester, attempting to get the talkative teens' attention. Clearing his throat, Mr. Schue waited for every eye to be on him.

"Now I know with Christmas break approaching, many of you will be heading out of town to escape the frigid winters of Lima. For your last glee assignment before break, you must prepare a piece, either a solo, or small group, that speaks of a place far away from Lima. Think of it as a way to escape without the cost."

Murmurs broke out across the choir room as the students brainstormed where they would take the rest of the glee club on vacation.

"Alright everyone, get into your groups and start working on your pieces!"

The chairs began to shuffle as friends huddled close. Beth, still wondering where she would escape to, sat silently, staring off into space. Lima was Beth's home. She had never lived anywhere else. Although the citizens were entirely too conservative for her liking, she wasn't quite sure she would feel safe living anywhere else. She had become much more attached to the small town in the past few weeks, as the reality of her graduation date came closer and closer.

Beth was at the top of her class and had taken all of the classes that McKinley High had offered, so instead of wasting another semester on electives, she had opted to graduate the week before winter break, which consequently meant she would graduate in just twelve days.

Beth, still cleaning out the corners of her mind, failed to notice that the door to the choir room had opened, revealing her quirky blonde dance coach. Coach Brittany, who oddly did not like to disclose her last name, poked her head into the room, and whispered something quickly to Mr. Schue. Looking up at Beth, the formidable Spanish teacher motioned for her to come talk with him.

"Hey Beth, Brittany needs your assistance working the CD player in the dance room. She claims you are the only one who hits it correctly to keep it from skipping?"

Chuckling quietly to herself, Beth nodded. "The machine is quite temperamental."

Following the dim-witted blonde to the dance stuido, Beth wasn't at all surprised with her coach's bizarre request, seeing as she had spent the past three and a half years under Brittany's instruction.

Sure enough, the CD was stuck repeating the same three opening notes to Manhattan by Kings of Leon. Smacking the boombox, the cacophony of notes spitting out of the speakers blended into a stream of harmonious noise. Beth felt the music beckoning, asking her to have this dance. She was compelled to move, just as she had been her entire life. Instinctively, her hands began to sway back and forth as her body coerced her brain to let go. Pique, pique, chaine, chaine, grande jeté, the choreography spilling out of her bones. As she moved, Beth could see herself fluidly moving through the bustling life Manhattan held.

Just as soon as the music began, it stopped. Beth stood there, in the center of the room watching her reflection in the giant mirrors covering the wall opposite her. Her chest heaving as her lungs begged for air.

"You look just like your mom out there," Brittany spoke in her breathy voice.

"My mom doesn't dance, she just sings."

"Well sure Quinn sings, in that bluesy way, but when she dances, well, she danced like if she stopped moving then the world would stop orbiting, like nothing else mattered at that moment, but those simple movements. She was so enticing. Watching her dance, watching you dance, well … it makes me speechless."

Beth considered the words Brittany had just spoken. No one spoke of Quinn around Beth. She was the giant moaning elephant in the corner. An elephant, according to Brittany, that sang the blues. Brittany must have noticed the wheels turning in the young dancer's head, and realized that she had gone too far.

**Okay so I really don't like this ending, but oh well. I will post another chapter within the next 24 hours, but only if you all want me to. I don't want to get annoying with all the updates! Hahah. As always, reviews are greatly appreciated.**


	5. Chapter 5: The Dangers of Texting

**Thank you to all the new reviewers during the last chapter! I love hearing what you all have to say! Please do not hesitate to ask questions if you are confused on any part. I am sorry it took me so long to get this chapter out. For some reason, I found it especially difficult to write. When you read Beth's performance, I recommend you listen to the song Vegas by Sara Bareilles. **

_The last few blocks to her childhood home seemed to go by quickly and Beth found herself opening the front door, only to reveal her mother sitting at the kitchen table. Beth froze. How would she explain what happened to her mother?Just as she had fabricated the last details of what her night should have been, her mother glanced up from the morning paper._

"_Hi honey. How was Shelley's? You look exhausted! Did you get any sleep at all?I was a little shocked when I got your text saying you were gonna spend the night, I thought Shelly and you weren't close anymore."_

_The wheels began to turn in her head. Text? What text? Her Mother did seem relatively calm for Beth staying out all night without any warning, but Beth had not sent a message. _

_Beth stood there awkwardly in the foyer. Normally, she would have spun the greatest tale of pillow fights and John Hughes films, but last night was still consuming her mind, and left little room for anything else. _

"_Are you hungry? Can I make you some breakfast?"Shelby questioned, obviously concerned for the adolescent._

"_Mom, I think I am actually gonna go take a nap. I didn't get much rest last night."_

"_Well alright honey. If you need anything just give me a ring, I should be at the gallery until dinner time."_

_Beth nodded in response and manuevered her body quickly up the stairs before her. Once safely inside her bedroom, she opened up her purse and removed her cell phone. Scrolling down to her sent messages, she saw at the top of the list, one outgoing message to her mother. _

_She read the message over and over again in her head. It was sent at 12:05. Beth clearly remembered the giant neon clock in Shelley's basement reading 11:50 while she was being attacked. Someone had gotten ahold of Beth's phone. _

The music swelled as young Mr. Button ran with the screaming infant towards the bay, preparing to drown the newborn. Beth silently began to curse her hormones as she choked on a sob. If she had watched this movie any other time, she would've been rolling her eyes at her mother's comments, or laughing at the comical expression on Mr. Button's face, but ever since she discovered she was pregnant, it was a whole other story. Tears streamed freely down her face as Beth tried with every fiber of her being to control herself, but it was of no use.

Shelby, assumed it was that time of the month, and stroked Beth's back, trying to comfort her emotional daughter. This action, however, just seemed to make Beth sob harder. Tomorrow would be her last full day of school before graduation and Beth was finding it harder and harder to hide this pregnancy. She didn't know how much longer she could keep it a secret.

**. . .**

Beth's last day of school seemed to pass by rather uneventfully. At glee that afternoon, the rest of the club had baked a cake for Beth's departure. She was nibbling at her piece when Mr. Schue decided to start the performances.

Jack and Jane, the club's token pair of twins, started off the show by singing Barcelona by Freddie Mercury. With years of vocal training under their belts, the two executed the song without a hitch.

Next was Micah singing Streets of Philadelphia by Bruce Springsteen. Although he was a bulky hockey player, his voice had the perfect amount of vibrato, making him the perfect new addition to the club.

Another group sang a moody rendition of Boston by Augustana and of course there was a rousing rendition of New York, New York by the three divas of the group.

As the group applauded the performers, walked to the front of the room.

"Brilliant job you guys. I believe we have one last destination performance... Beth?"

Shaken from her daydreams of far off lands, Beth looked up to see staring at her expectantly.

"Um... , I am not a singer. I just do the choreography." Beth quickly spoke, confused as to why her favorite teacher would single her out in such a way.

"Yes, yes, I realize, but I had the oppurtunity to hear you sing the other day during lunch. I'm sorry I was spying on you, but if you had known I was listening, you would have stopped singing."

Beth racked her mind, trying to think back to the time Mr. Schue was speaking of. Three days prior, Beth had been messing around on the piano in the choir room. Apparently her practiced fingers had a mind of their own because all of a sudden the simple chords she had been hitting, blended into a melodious tune. She recognized the song she was playing, and well, the words just followed.

"Would you please do us the honor of playing that same song? I believe it hints at the same themes everyone else has been singing of."

She nodded hesitantly and walked over to where the piano was. Wiping off her sweaty palms, she placed her fingers on the ivory keys before her. Glancing over at the jazz band in the corner, the beat began and Beth launched into the song.

"Gonna sell my car and go to Vegas  
'Cause somebody told me  
That's where dreams would be  
Gonna sell my car and go to Vegas  
Finally see my name upon the Palace marquis"

As the words poured out of her mouth, Beth tried her hardest to focus on the music, and not on the twenty pairs of eyes starring at her, mouths agape.

"Gonna quit my job and move to New York  
'Cause somebody told me that's where  
Dreamers should go  
Gonna quit my job and move to New York  
And tattoo my body with every Broadway show."

Just as her mind had wandered to thoughts of a far off land while dancing, Beth found herself strolling down the great Broadway.

"Listen up now honey, you're gonna be sorry  
Can't get out from under a sky that is falling  
And you say  
No fame no money I'm nobody  
The way I'm running has sure got me down  
On my knees.  
But next stop, Vegas please.  
Gotta get to Vegas  
Can you take me to Vegas?"

As the last few notes of the song filled the air, Beth took a few sobering breaths, trying to wake up from this dream she had found herself in, attempting to grasp onto reality. She glanced around the room, taking in the shocked faces of her peers. Her eyes landed on Mr. Schue who was standing with a small grin on his face, and tears in his eyes. Slowly the group realized that they had all collectively gone into shock. Micah began to clap his pudgy hands together, and then the rest of the club joined in. Color flooded to Beth's cheeks as she realized what was happening. Perhaps she wasn't as horrible a singer as she had presumed.

Schuester walked up to Beth and embraced her petite frame. Leaning down he whispered into her ear.

"Your mother sang that song exactly as you did when she was a senior. Beth, your voice is dripping in passion, don't hide that talent just like she did."

Beth's eyes welled up as she grasped onto the honesty in his voice. At that moment, Beth realized the strength she held inside of her. The little fire in her soul was burning strong, a beacon of hope for tomorrow.

**So I do not own any of these songs or Glee, of course. I do take responsibility for this storyline, however. I will try my hardest to get another chapter out soon. It will be a Christmas/Hanukkah celebration! As always, please review and story alert!**


	6. Chapter 6: Applesauced chins

**So I am pretty sure I start writing every chapter after I read MarlisaKristine's reviews. Haha. I am truly inspired to write more when I read that someone else is enjoying reading the chapter as much as I enjoy writing it! So I would strongly recommend you all follow her example and write some epic reviews. Hahah. I could not recall anything being said about Rachel's fathers names, nor about each of their religions, so I am taking some liberties. Enjoy!**

_The rain dribbled down, puttering as it hit the gutters outside Beth's window. She laid her head against the cold glass as she sat in the little nook Finn had built for her tenth birthday. Wrapped tightly in a fleece blanket, Beth attempted to warm herself, but no matter what she tried she couldn't succeed. Not chicken noodle soup, not hot cocoa, not even sloppy kisses from Nicky could warm her soul. _

_It had been two days since Shelley's party. The bruises leaving a road map of pain and abuse had now turned a pasty yellow. The bruises on Beth's ego, however, had turned into large oozing sores. Just the thought of seeing the mysterious boy from a few nights prior made Beth's blood run cold, and she just couldn't shake that feeling. He could be anywhere watching her at any minute. _

_Curled at Beth's feet was her giant dog Elphie,who was licking at Beth's calloused toes. Absentmindedly running a hand through Elphie's thick coat, Beth's thoughts turned to the mysterious text message that had been sent from her phone. The message itself wasn't eery, just a simple note to her mother, informing her that she would be staying the night at Shelley Chan's instead of returning home in an hour, but the fact that Beth had not sent the text made it downright terrifying. _

_The party had been small, only about forty people, and the only people in attendance had been on the school's winter sports. It was basically a kick off to the new season. One person in attendance had witnessed the horrific attack. One person knew the pain Beth had gone through. One person had chosen to not interfere. One person had chosen to remain silent._

Applesauce dribbled down Nick's chin as he devoured the latkas before him. Seated around the large oak table were the Hudson family, complete with Carole Hummel and her husband Burt, as well as Rachel's fathers, John and Oliver, along with Shelby and of course, Beth. It was December 21st, the seventh day of Hanukkah, and the last day the rest of the family was home before Christmas. The misfit group always got together to celebrate the coming together of two cultures. This year was just like any other. The menorah in the center of the table, seven candles burning, full of promise, the perfectly trimmed Christmas tree in the corner. Elphie was laying in front of the crackling fireplace as the group socialized and ate. Stories were shared of comical events from the past year, and tears were shed when reminiscing of loved ones.

The low roar of conversation died down when there was a knock from the front door. Beth's chair groaned as she pushed back from the table to greet whoever there. She tiptoed over, toe, heel, toe, heel, and unlatched the giant brass lock. Standing in the doorway was an effeminate young man holding a bottle of pinot grigio.

" Beth! Darling! You are looking simply fabulous!"

She just stood there, holding open the door, with a confused look on her face.

"Honey, fix your face, you will get wrinkles."

Kurt Hummel walked past the still dazed brunette, turned around long enough to kiss her on the cheek and then proceeded into the dinning room where the rest of the family was seated. She heard the uproar in the other room from Kurt arriving, and figured she should wait a few moments before following the fashionable soprano.

Once everyone was seated again at the table, all eyes were on Kurt as he began to speak of his long journey to Lima.

"What? Can't a guy come home for a little Hanukkah/Christmas celebration? Does this have to be such a big deal?"

"Yes!" Beth, Rachel and Finn all said simultaneously..

"Why are you not in New York? Last I heard, you were going to be showing Mercedes around the city for the next few weeks since her firm is opening up a new branch."

"I was going to, but I realized that it has been far too long since I have been home, and since Rachel, Finn, and my little Nicky aren't going to be in the city for the holidays this year, I thought I would partake in our tradition of Chrismukkah. Besides, Quinn said she would help Beyonce out."

Noticing the distressed look on Shelby's face, Rachel quickly switched the conversation to the lighter topic of Nick's new-found guitar skills. Shelby quietly excused herself from the table and went into the nearby kitchen.

Beth quickly followed, ever eager to make sure her mother was alright. She walked into the kitchen, only to find her mother taking out her aggression on a frozen solid carton of ice cream.

"You could always just put that in the microwave."

"Ah, but where is the fun in that?" Shelby smugly responded.

"Mom-"

"Beth, sweetie, don't worry about me. Do you mind running down to the store to get some chocolate syrup. I forgot to pick some up."

Beth decided to follow her mother's advice and pick her battles, so she grabbed her keys and headed towards the front door.

"Where are you headed, bug?" Kurt inquired.

"Just out to get some much needed essentials for dessert!"

"Oh, well, here, take this."

Beth shoved the wad of cash Kurt had handed her into her wallet. His job as Barney's fashion merchandiser obviously paid well. The drive to the local grocery store went by rather fast, she had blasted some 30 Seconds to Mars, so she found herself in a good mood as she walked through automatic doors of Ray's supermarkets. She knew the store like the back of her hand, it being her summer hangout in the seventh grade, so she zipped over to the sweets isle, eager to get out of the store and back to her patchwork family.

When she saw the rows of sprinkles shaped like farm animals and everlasting birthday candles, she knew the liquid chocolate was close by. She was scanning the shelves so intensely that she failed to notice the 6 feet of pure muscle before her. Right before she smacked her forehead into his back, she stopped suddenly and looked up. The blood drained from Beth's face as she starred at the unmistakeable broad shoulders before her.

**I am so sorry this took me so long to write. I didn't have any proper music. Haha. And believe me, I know how lame of an excuse that is, but it is the truth. The true adventure begins next chapter so please review and story alert. I would love to hear what you all predict is going to happen next. I am wondering if you picked up on any clues!**


	7. Chapter 7: Butterflies and Hornets

**I woke up this morning with four reviews and quite a few alerts/favorites. I need to post chapters at night more often if they get that kind of attention! Thank you to all the reviewers, but especially the new ones. Whenever I get a review I am so inspired to keep writing, so thank you for that. Before I start chapter seven, I would just like to inform you all that from this point forward, the story changes and Beth becomes more desperate, so to reflect that the chapters won't be as structured (what with the flashback first and then the next section of the present). I hope it doesn't throw you off too much.**

Beth felt uncomfortable. It was that simple. She couldn't quite figure out why, all she knew is that she was finding it hard to breathe. She cracked her eyes slightly, revealing the vibrant emerald green, and realized that her face was flattened into her window.

Too exhausted to move, Beth just stared out the glass and onto the rolling green hills before her. On the road right in front of her, lay a dying firefly, its light blinking on and off, still signaling for a mate. Beth wished it was that easy to get some help. If only she glowed when something was wrong, then maybe she wouldn't have to find the courage to tell her mother about her ordeal. Maybe then, she wouldn't be parked on the side of the highway in the middle of Pennsylvania.

Yes, she had slept in her hybrid that night, mainly because after driving five hours and 300 miles, one became quite tired.

Beth had been irrational when she thought that she would never run into the man who attacked her. She believed that since she had never seen him before that night, that maybe he was just visting some family for the weekend. She realized now how idiotic that sounded. After all, who the hell would want to visit Lima.

At that moment, Beth also recognized how idiotic it was to run away from her home, especially since she didn't turn 18 for a few more months. All she knew was that she couldn't be in Lima anymore. Seeing him, standing before her, picking out the perfect decorations for a cake, not even thinking twice about what he had done, made Beth realize that there was nothing stopping him from attacking her again. So, she ran.

Wiping the drool from her cheek, Beth adjusted herself so that she was facing the steering wheel. With a flip of her wrist, the engine roared to life, and Beth continued on. If you had asked her where she was going, she would've mumbled a determined "You'll see," but in all honesty, she would've just been trying to reassure herself. She had no idea where the road before her lead. Something far off was beckoning her to keep going, and so that is what she did.

Ten dull minutes passed while Beth drove through the green fields of Pennsylvania, until she arrived at the small town of DuBois. The town was picturesque, with overhangs on every building and American Flags waving on every lamp post. It was six in the morning, the sun had not risen, but by the looks of the monstrous clouds in the sky, Beth didn't think it would rise at all.

This was as good a place as any to stop and get a hold of the situation, so Beth decided to stop at Java Joey's to grab a cup of hot chocolate and contemplate what had happened since dinner last night. She parked her car underneath a basket of hanging flowers, that had long since frozen, and quickly darted across the street to the little coffee shop.

The young male barista behind the counter cleared his throat as Beth walked through the front door, the little bell in the corner jingling as she did so. She looked up at him and was briefly taken aback by how cute he was. His white teeth shone brilliantly as his lips pulled back into a sideways smile, dimples appearing at the base of his rosy cheeks. Beth blushed slightly at the attention. Sure, she was used to people staring at her, it was a requirement when one became a dancer. People stared, but not like the boy before her. Her emerald eyes connected with his warm brown ones. She decided at that moment that hot cocoa was highly overrated in comparison to his sweet chocolatey eyes.

"Hello. What can I get you?" Beth nearly died right then and there. Not only was the man before her gorgeous, but he had a British accent. She never quite understood her turn on to accents, but everytime she heard one, without fail, she got a little weak in the knees.

"Um.." Beth internally scolded herself for being so swept up in his good looks. After all, he probably was a pompous jerk, as most good looking boys are.

"Can I have hot chocolate?"

"Hmm.. Nice and classic... I like that," He stared at her, bot not in a creepy stalker, "I want to make dolls that look like you" kind of way. Just in the I really want to get lost in your eyes, kind of way.

Beth had a seat at the coffee house's counter. She was eager to get off her feet, although she wasn't quite sure why, seeing as she had been driving for the past few hours. The barista added a large dollop of whipped cream and pulled out a bottle of chocolate syrup. The butterflies in her stomach that had started flying when she saw the boy behind the counter, turned into angry hornets. What was that strange feeling she was experiencing? Guilt. That's what it was.

The barista eyed her suspiciously.

"It's just chocolate. It won't bite! Besides, you look like you could use the extra cheering up."

Beth smiled shyly at him. " Thanks...I'm Beth, by the way."

"That's a beautiful name for a beautiful girl," Beth literally swooned, and felt like an idiot for doing it the entire time. " I'm Gabriel"

As the two shook hands, Beth felt the electricity surging between them. Attempting to make herself busy, Beth pulled out cash to pay for her hot cocoa and decided to pay from the wad of cash Kurt had handed her. She pulled out a five and gave Gabriel a little tip. As she flattened out the rest of the bills, she pulled out a business card from the stack. She gaped at the card and read, "Cafe Lalo. Quinn Fabray. Owner. 201 West 83rd Street. New York, NY."

Had Kurt purposely put her mother's information in her posession, or was it just happenstance. Beth was not sure.

"So where are you headed?"

"New York."

**Please please please read and review. I will try my hardest to have another chapter out soon, but only if I have the motivation. I do not own anything from Glee. **


	8. Chapter 8: Green skin or ruby shoes?

**So I started this chapter before I even had the last one posted. I know it is shocking, unheard of even. I really just have this strange urge to write. It is cathartic and primal at the same time. I thought I would use this little author's note to let you all know that all the dates and places are accurate in this story. For example, both coffee houses, and the grocery store truly exist. The amount of time it takes Beth to travel, as well as, the distance are accurate as well. The seventh day of Hanukkah in 2027 will truly land on December 21****st****. I am trying to make this as realistic as possible... Just so you know! Haha. So please enjoy this next chapter. **

"New York? What's in New York?" Gabriel asked.

"I'm not quite sure yet," Beth replied honestly.

Gabriel pulled out a paper napkin and a pen and began to scribble down a note.

"Well when you find out, let me know." He handed her the napkin which read, "For whenever you need a friend," and had his cell phone number, as well as, work number. The simple gesture warmed Beth's heart, and seemed to reawaken the butterflies in her stomach.

Gabriel's eyes left Beth's making her feel slightly empty. He cleared his throat, apparently feeling the lack of heat as well. Turning around, Gabriel opened up the small fridge behind the counter. Beth was a little confused as to what he was doing, but figured he was probably uncomfortable with awkward silences. She was shocked, however, when he turned around with a massive can of whipped cream and attacked her cocoa again.

Beth just started laughing at the ridiculous scene before her.

"What? It was deflating and obviously needed more!"

She mockingly shrugged her shoulders and muttered, "Obviously."

"So Beth, what are you doing here in DuBois?"

"Well I heard the service was so great here at Java Joey's that I just had to come and visit!"

Gabriel laughed at her absurd answer, "Nice try! Why are you really out here?"

"I guess I just needed to escape from the mundane, boring life I lead."

"At Christmas? Don't you want to be with your family for the holidays?"

"I'm Jewish." 

"Even more of a reason to stay home, It's the last day of Hanukkah!"

Beth was shocked by his obvious knowledge of her religion. That was a major pro in her book.

"I guess, I am hoping to find more family in New York. As bizarre as that sounds, its the truth."

She realized she was stressing about showing a little bit of her true self, and was taking it out on the paper napkin before her, which was now torn into tiny shreds. She dropped the fragments and hesitantly glanced up at the young Brit before her, and was pleasantly surprised to see pure admiration on his face.

"I am envious of your strength. Your ability to just let go of everything and discover the world before you, not knowing you are making the right choice."

Beth giggled at how wrong he was. She wasn't strong. She ran from what she feared so desperately. If only he knew.

"I think I've been making smart enough decisions so far, considering that my future self hasn't traveled back in time and beaten the crap out of me."

Beth was basking in this feeling of happiness that Gabriel had created, appreciating his warm laughter and her odd comment, when she felt it.

"I- I gotta go. I'm sorry. I just- I will call you?"

With those every so poignant words, she dashed out of the store, jumped in her car, and peeled down the town's main street. When she felt like she was far enough from the coffe house, she pulled to the side of the road, opened the car door and emptied her stomach.

Wiping the bile from her mouth she moaned and looked down at her stomach.

"Froggy, why are you doing this? Why can't you just let Mommy flirt with the cute boy?"

Slamming the door, Beth decided to just drive. Gabriel probably thought she was a freak, so there was no use going back there, and since she couldn't go home, there was only one direction left. She headed straight towards the horizon, placed her hand over the swimming reptile inside her, and faintly said, "There's no going back now."

She pulled out her iPod and scrolled down to her Broadway playlist. If she was going to New York, she would be driving for another five hours. She figured she deserved to drown in the joyous tunes of her childhood.

Four and a half hours later the enormous skyscrapers before her began to look more and more like actual buildings as compared to doll houses with each inch closer. Her stereo was blasting "One short day in the Emerald City" from Wicked, and found the selection oddly ironic, seeing as this city would be an escape for her, just as the Emerald City was an escape for Elphaba. She glanced down at her hair that she had twisted into braids at one of her many bathroom stops, and realized maybe she was more Dorothy than Elphaba. After all, all she was looking for was a place to feel safe, and warm.

Once in the bustling city, Beth found a little parking garage so she could use the restroom, again, and make herself look presentable for the evening before her.

After she had relieved her bladder and brushed her teeth, Beth tried her best to make her hair lay still and then went back to her little Prius. She plugged in the cafe's coordinates in the GPS and zipped out of the garage. After about 15 minutes, Beth saw the notorious red sign that read "Cafe Lalo" and instantly felt her palms began to perspire. What if Quinn did want to see her? She had given Beth up after all!

"Snap out of it. Stop being such a wuss," Beth chastised herself. She stepped out of her car and into the brisk city air. Checking both ways, she scuffled across the street. The clouds above threatened release hell at any minute, and Beth knew she should probably get out of their way. She peered into the French themed cafe and felt all sensation leave her body. There, sitting in a corner, strumming on a battered acoustic guitar was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen.

**I know I am super nice to just leave it like this. If you review, however, I may find the desire to upload another chapter super soon. Thanks for all the reviews and alerts. I hope I find some new reviewers with this update! Love to you all.**


	9. Chapter 9: Battered guitars and hearts

**Well, I am glad you all seem to like Gabriel. I wasn't planning on having him as a character. He just sort of happened. Haha. I love love love the reviews. I got so many in the last two chapters, my little heart was warmed. In response to the title of the story... It will reveal itself in time! Please enjoy the next chapter and review/alert when you are finished. Oh, and please listen to A Bird's Song by Ingrid Michaelson during the young woman's performance :P**

There, sitting in a corner, strumming on a battered acoustic guitar was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen. As Beth watched the angel before her pluck at the strings, she lost all control over her body and walked into the cafe. The only thing going through her mind was a strong desire to hear her sing. She had a seat at a small table, and ignored the waitress asking for her order. She just had to listen.

When I would play my song,  
You used to sing along.  
I always seem to forget  
How fragile are the very strong.  
I'm sorry I can't steal you  
I'm sorry I can't stay  
So I put band-aids on your knees  
And watch you fly away 

The woman's golden hair lay in loose waves and reached past her shoulder blades, her bare sun-kissed skin shone in the warm lighting.

I'm sending you away tonight  
I'll put you on a bird's strong wing  
I'm saving you the best way I know how  
I hope again one day to hear you sing

As she sang, her emerald green eyes showed true pain. With every word, Beth felt like the woman was talking to her, and only her.

You know we're not so far away  
Get on a boat, get on a train  
And if you ever think you're drowning  
I'll try to slow the rain  
In two years or so  
Drop me a line  
Write me a letter  
I hope to find you're doing better, better than today, better everyday

Beth felt her eyes well up. At first she tried to blame the waterworks on the betta swimming around in her stomach, but she realized that even without the little fish, she would still be crying. She couldn't believe this was truly happening.

I'm sending you away tonight  
I'll put you on a bird's strong wing  
I'm saving you the best way I know how  
I hope again one day to hear you sing  
I'm saving you the only way that I know how  
I hope again one day to hear you sing  
I hope again one day to see you bring your smile back around again

With one final strum, the woman put the guitar down. It ended as soon as it had begun, but those three minutes had changed Beth forever. She quickly wiped her eyes, hoping that her mascara had not bled all over her face. The woman walked over to the counter, grabbed a water bottle and went into the back room. Beth had no time to talk to her. She walked up to the counter because she figured she could at least soothe her addiction while she waited, and was greeted by a young Asian woman with a sweet face. She seemed familiar, like someone Beth had seen on an old television show, but for some reason she could not place her.

"Hello. What can I get you?"

That was the second time today someone had asked her that question. This time, however, she did not have the desire to jump the barista right then and there.

"Hot chocolate."

"Really? Just a hot chocolate? You can have Caramel, Cinnamon,Coconut, Hazelnut, Irish Creme, Orzata, or Vanilla flavoring added."

"No, just plain hot cocoa is fine with me."

"Hmm. Are you sure?

"Tina, just get the girl her hot chocolate. She obviously knows what she wants."

Beth froze when she heard the woman behind her. Goosebumps rose on her neck from where the woman's breath had assaulted her. She slowly turned her head. Her balloons in her chest stopped inflating. Everything around her froze. All that existed at that moment was Beth and the angel floating before her.

The young woman's eyes were full of panic, so expresive, as she looked at the adolescent before her.

Tina cleared her throat, obviously confused by the epic stare down going on in front of her.

"Um... I should, I should go," Beth knew at that minute that she had made a mistake, why would someone as poised as the woman before her want to meet a lowly teenager?

She turned to run out the door, tears streaming down her face, as she felt a strong hand grab her wrist. Beth glanced back and saw the angel holding her like an anchor to reality.

The woman glanced back at Tina and said "I am gonna take the rest of the night off. Do you think you can hold down the fort?"

Tina just nodded, and the woman slid her hand down Beth's arm so that their fingers were interlaced, and pulled the young girl out of the cafe. They walked out into the shockingly cold air and down the street. Neither spoke a word.

**So I know most of this chapter is just the song, but the song speaks volumes, so I hope you listen to it. Don't just hear it, really listen to it. I think it speaks more than any words I write could. I will try to post another chapter soon. I am eager to write the next scene, so I am hoping it doesn't take me too long. As always, review review review.**


	10. Chapter 10: Unknown Wishes

**So I am glad that those of you who reviewed enjoyed the song as much as I did. I literally cried when I first heard it. I coincidentally found another song this afternoon, for a later chapter, that sounds EXACTLY like something Quinn would write... so you will just have to wait for that. I hope the cliffhangers at the end of the chapters aren't too high of cliffs. Just enough to keep you wanting more. Please enjoy, and remember to alert and review at the end!**

The woman slid her hand down Beth's arm so that their fingers were interlaced, and pulled the young girl out of the cafe. They walked out into the shockingly cold air and down the street. Neither spoke a word. Despite the fact that she was holding hands with a complete stranger, Beth felt surprisingly safe. The two walked under the giant canopy of trees that stood at the entrance of Central Park, that were now all stripped of their leaves. Beth pitied those trees, she understood how it felt to be so naked and exposed. Their was a large patch of grass before them, which they began to walk across in a steady rhythm, both knowing the beat, without ever hearing the song. Beth felt a little cushion under her foot and looked down to see what she had stepped on. Underneath where her foot had been was a solitary dandelion, the last of the season.

Tears slid down Beth's rosy pink cheeks as she cried for all the wishes that could have come true, if only she had taken the time to walk around.

The woman, who was obviously concerned for Beth's well-being, ceased their march and faced the petite dancer before her. She made a soft shushing noise and held Beth tight against her breast.

"Shh, shhh, shhh. Everything is going to be alright. I promise I will keep you safe."

Beth choked back a sob and nodded at the beautiful stranger. Wrapping an arm around Beth's waist, the woman continued with her endless march, and Beth, ever-trusting just followed her lead. After what seemed like miles, the two women, eerily similar in looks, stopped at a giant apartment complex. The woman released Beth, causing the young girl to moan at the lack of heat and protection the woman had provided. Unlocking the front door, the woman waved for Beth to follow her into the elevator. Beth stared at the little numbers above the door watching as each one lit up as the elevator went higher and higher up the building. Finally, the doors opened on floor 26, the highest in the building.

The two stepped out and once again the woman pulled out a key to unlock the door before her.

Beth timidly placed a foot in the apartment, she was a little hesitant about being apart of this story.

"Welcome to my humble abode," the woman spoke.

"This- This is huge," Beth choked out.

"Ya, when my parents died, I inherited it. It was my father's home away from home. He used to come here when on business or at least that's what he told Mom. Really, he was just sleeping around."

The woman paused, obviously thinking about the tale she had just told.

"I'm sorry, you don't want to hear about that. Can I get you anything? Something to drink maybe?"

Beth stood quietly for a moment, her purse hanging off her limp arms.

"Could I maybe take a shower? I am just really cold from outside and my clothes are just disgusting from driving all night."

The woman just smiled.

"That's the most you have said all night. Of course you can take a shower, make yourself at home. There is everything you might need in there, hair products, soaps, lotions, razors, towels,etc. Plus you can steal some pajamas from the closet. I will be out here cooking a little something to eat, if you need me."

Beth nodded and smiled slightly in return.

"Oh and Beth, we need to talk once you get out."

With that, the woman turned and swiftly left the living room.

Beth did the same in the opposite direction and went to the woman's bathroom. As the water warmed up, she took a look around the young woman's bedroom. There were pictures framed on the wall of the woman with Tina from the restaurant, the Glee club photo Beth had seen in the Thunderclap at Rachel's house and one of Kurt and the woman with giant Clark Kent glasses on. She strolled over to the woman's bedside table and felt the faucet in her eyes turn on again. It was of the woman holding a sleeping newborn in a hospital bed.

Next to the photo was a day planner with lots of multicolored post-it notes sticking out. She unhooked the little leather strap and opened the little book. There, written on the front page, was the name Quinn Fabray. Every doubt slipped from her mind as she pulled out envelope after envelope, each with her biological mother's name on them. She was with Quinn. What she had been dreaming about her entire life was finally come true.

Steam from the shower was wafting out of the stall, so Beth figured she should hop in.

As the water rushed over her skin she felt the feeling in her toes slowly returning. She squeezed Quinn's shampoo onto her hand and smelled the delicious citrus-y scent of mandarin oranges. The idea that she could smell exactly like the angel a few rooms over, delighted Beth to no end.

Once she was clean from head to toe, Beth climbed out of the shower and wrapped a towel around her chest. She walked into Quinn's ginormous closet and selected a pair of plaid pajama pants, complete with satin pull, and t-shirt that prominently featured the musical Bare.

She sauntered down the hall, toe, heel, toe, heel, until she was back in the living room. She curled up on the couch and took in her surroundings.

"Beth, I just made some hot cocoa, do you want a mug?"

At that moment, Beth knew that she and Quinn were truly related. They both drank hot cocoa whenever they felt nervous. That fact alone, caused all nerves to untangle in the pit of her stomach.

The stunning blonde walked into the room carrying two steaming cups of cocoa and handed one to the petite brunette.

"Are you ready to talk?" Quinn pondered, " Or would you rather just rest for the night and talk tomorrow?"

"Umm... could we just talk tomorrow? I am wiped out from this crazy adventure, and I have a strange feeling that it has just begun."

"Sure. Beth, does.. does your mother know where you are?" The words seemed extremely painful on Quinn's lips, like a sour taste she couldn't get rid of.

"No."

"Can I call her and at least let her know you are alright?"

Beth thought about her mom. She could almost see Shelby pacing back and forth in their kitchen, wearing a whole in the hardwood floors. She was probably worried sick about her only child.

"I suppose so. As long as she doesn't make me go back there. I can't, I can't go back there."

Quinn nodded and left the couch for a moment. She pulled out her iPhone pressed a few buttons, and waited patiently for someone to pick up on the other end.

After what seemed like hours of reassuring and negotiating, Beth hung up the phone and returned to the couch.

"She said you could stay here for a little while, as long as you call her tomorrow. She also wants you to know that she loves you desperately and is incredibly sorry that she couldn't help you."

Beth felt her eyes mist over. Her face crumpled as she looked up at Quinn.

"Quinn, will you just hold me for a little bit?"

**So I hope you all enjoy reading this because it was all I was thinking about while working this evening. I also hope you feel a little bit of what Beth is going through while reading this. Please alert/ review my little tale. I love love love waking up to them!**


	11. Chapter 11: Where's the apple cider?

**Hello loyal readers, and new ones, I am going to take this author's note to explain a little bit. No one knows about Beth being attacked, except for the anonymous texter. Please please please keep in mind what I said earlier. We don't truly know what is going through Quinn's head or anyone else's head because this story is told from Beth's point of view. If you want to know what Quinn is thinking look deeper at the song. It is a little frightening to have Beth go off with a complete stranger. Believe me, I did not intend for that to happen. My fingers have a mind of their own! BUT, Beth is broken. She is not thinking straight after the attack and is in a severe funk. Please enjoy this next chapter! I am sorry there won't be three today :P**

Beth woke up with her head in Quinn's lap. The older woman's hand was laying on Beth's shoulder, her chest inhaling and exhaling rhythmically behind the younger girl. As Beth stared at the room around her, taking in her surroundings, she imagined this was what the stereotypical "morning after" was like. She was no longer drunk off of her biological mother's good looks, her sober mind realized that this fantasy she had wound in her head of what Quinn was like, was just that, a fantasy.

The adolescent hesitantly rose from the couch and pulled out her cellphone for the first time on this long journey. 42 messages. Her mother had left her 42 messages. What the hell had she been thinking? She was in a stranger's house. She had run away from home. Her poor mother, all alone. Beth hoped with all her might that Shelby did not think Beth had left because of her. Her mom, her patchwork family, was the only good thing in her life.

Beth pressed the number engraved in her mind, hoping with all her heart that her mother would pick up the phone. After one ring, she picked up. In her hurry to answer the phone, she dropped it, causing a loud clunking noise.

"Beth! Oh my god, sweetheart. Are you alright? Are you hurt? Angel, I am so sorry. I knew something was wrong. I just knew it! I mean- Dinosaur Pastries! I should have been there for you. I should have done something to fix it, to make it better. I am your mother. That's what mom's do!"

"Mom. Stop beating yourself up. I didn't run away from you. I wasn't even planning on running away at all. I just had to. He was there at the store, and I just couldn't be there anymore. I couldn't be at home."

Beth was rambling. She felt so guilty for leaving her mother. How could she be so selfish, so weak?

"What man, honey? Did someone hurt you?" Shelby's voice was full of concern for her only daughter.

This was not how Beth had pictured telling her mother about Shelley's party. She wasn't quite sure how she pictured it, but she knew there would be lots of kleenex and ice cream, that was how the Corcoran girls got through everything.

"Mom, you know that text you got from me the night of Shelley Chan's party? Well I didn't send it. I don't know who did, whoever did, knew I wouldn't be getting home that night. Because... well because, I was attacked."

She couldn't bring herself to describe the ordeal. It was hard enough to admit out loud that someone had taken advantage of her. Her mother took a sharp inhale on the other side of the phone, obviously affected by the news.

"Someone touched you? Someone hurt my baby? Someone hurt my baby."

Shelby was quiet for a few moments. Beth knew that her mother must have been suspecting the news to be along those lines, but to have your worst fears reassured, makes them so much more terrifying. She heard the noise of stifled sobs, her mother, the strongest woman she knew, was crumbling, and she couldn't do anything about it. It was her turn to be the strong one.

"Mom. I will be okay, I will get through this, as long as I am not at home. I can't have people seeing me, not like this."

"Angel, see you how?"

Whenever Beth pictured herself announcing a pregnancy, it was with her doting husband and a glass of apple cider, not as a scared senseless 17 year old.

"Mommy, I'm pregnant."

"A chorbn!"

For as long as Beth could remember her mother always swore in Yiddish. It was comforting to know that her mother still thought of her as a child, even though she was carrying one of her own.

"Oh sweetie, I am so so sorry. We will figure this out together, alright? Can I talk to Quinn for a minute?"

Beth turned around, and was surprised to see Quinn listening intently to every word the two had exchanged. She silently handed her phone over, ignoring Quinn's confused look. The blonde was quiet for the next few minutes, every once in a while mumbling "Mhmm".

"Alright Shelby. I will get right on that, and of course it's no trouble. We will talk to you tonight."

She hung up the phone, took a deep breath, and looked up at Beth.

"So, you want to talk now?"

Beth shrugged, " I guess we have to."

"What happened at Shelley's party?"

She took a deep breath, and as she relayed the story to Quinn, she felt the weight on her chest slowly become lesser and lesser. Their conversation played out like a dance. Everytime Beth was spinning out of control, Quinn caught her. As Beth spoke of her fears of raising this child, Quinn reassured her.

Once Beth had finished recalling that fateful night, she felt her body thaw. That eternal cold she had felt was slowly disappearing with each of Quinn's smiles.

"Well, I know over these next few months, you will go through a lot of heartache and pain, but I hope you realize that you have a lot of people who will do anything they can to help you. That baby of yours will have one an amazing but crazy family."

Both sat quietly for a moment, neither really knowing what else to say.

"What do you call your baby?"

Beth laughed a warm hearty laugh, " The baby is generally and amphibian.. mainly froggy."

"Haha that's a good one. Is it because it look's like a tadpole?"

Beth nodded and laughed a little more, "It's stupid isn't it?"

"Not at all! I used to call you my little bird."

**So I this chapter doesn't have much happen in it, but some things had to be cleared up. I am leaving to go out of town tonight, so I am not sure when the next few chapters will be up because I don't know if where I am going has wifi. I will try my hardest to continue, but if nothing else, expect some chapters on sunday! Please please please review. Tell me what you think. **


	12. Chapter 12: Personal Floatation Devices

**First off, thank you to all you amazing readers! I love that some of you read all eleven chapters at once. That is intense. I commend you! I hope you are all still enjoying the story. I promise it will switch up a little bit soon. You won't spend the entire story waiting for a baby. Please please please review. One of the lovely reviewers inspired me to write this chapter because I had completely spaced about a very crucial storyline. So thank you lovely reviewer. You never know, something you say could inspire another chapter.**

Legs, legs, legs. An endless wave of long toned legs, rhythmically fanning out and about in perfect precision. Quinn had taken Beth to see the Rockettes at Radio City Hall. As Beth watched the dancers nearly kiss their knees in the kick line, she longed for nothing more than to go join them. Her muscles literally ached from not dancing for two days. If only she was 7 inches taller, she would be right along side them on stage with firetruck red lipstick on. She looked down at her 5'3" body. If only.

Shelby had to prepare her dance studio for their upcoming winter recital, so she had allowed Beth to stay with Quinn for the next week or two, so that she had someone to stay with her constantly. Quinn had wasted no time in giving Beth an all inclusive tour of the big apple. She didn't just take a few bites out of the thing, she ate every bit of it, seeds included.

Although the two had only been together for two full days, Beth found that they were already closer than she and Rachel had ever been. She could never view Quinn as her mother, Beth already had one of those, Quinn was just a new best friend, a sister even.

She looked over at her fair-haired companion, who was in pure awe of the dancer's before her, and couldn't help but share in the woman's joy. Beth wasn't quite sure that she would be able to leave the poised woman beside her.

" Ladies and Gentlemen, we will be taking a fifteen minute intermission. Refreshments can be purchased in the lobby. Thank You."

The two women just sat there, both still overwhelmed by all the lights, music, and perfect bodies.

"Damn," Beth deadpanned.

"Exactly my thoughts," Quinn concured.

Beth literally shook her head, trying to clear herself from the daze she found herself in. Quinn stood up, attempting to do the same.

"Do you want something to eat?"

"No, I'm okay. I think I just want to sit here for a little while. I am not quite sure I could keep from dancing if I stood up!"

Quinn sighed. She seemed to understand exactly what the adolescent was going through.

"Alright, well I am gonna head to the bathroom. Are you alright staying here by yourself?"

Beth nodded and Quinn took off towards the lobby. As Beth sat in her cushioned seat, she took her time alone to people watch and see what sort of oddballs this event brought out. There were, of course, the select few men who came without a partner, who were either gay, or hoping to stare all night at the scantily clad women. A strong sense of longing overwhelmed Beth as she saw a mother listening patiently to her young daughter, who was rambling on and on about the princesses she had just seen on stage. She quickly averted her eyes, she couldn't dwell on that outcome, not just yet.

Scanning the room again, her eyes landed on the back of a man's head right in front of her. The prickly brown hairs that protruded from his scalp grew in a circular motion, making it look like there were multiple crop circles on his head. Beth realized she was probably staring too intently at his hair and looked at the seats around him, he didn't look like he was there with anyone. The seat to his right was empty, however. Perhaps his date had gone to the bathroom. Just as Beth was coming up with some elaborate stories of what his date was like, the man before her turned around to look for someone coming down the aisle to their right. Beth gasped, and instantly regretted doing so, because she began to choke on the gum, which was now in her windpipe.

As she coughed, he looked back at her, to see if she was okay. Although Beth's eyes were watering from all the coughing, she swore his eyes became as big as saucepans when they landed on her. Once Beth had regained control of her breathing, however, he appeared to be as cool as a cucumber, cooler than a cucumber even. He was probably as cool a cucumber that had been grown in Antartica.

"Are you alright?" His voice sounded like an angel's, a very masculine angel. The sound was so pure it vibrated in Beth's ears. She couldn't contain the smile that appeared on her lips.

"I'm- I'm wonderful."

The man cleared his throat, as though he weren't quite sure what to do, and turned around as the lights began to fade, signaling the end of the intermission.

Quinn rushed back to her seat and muttered a quick, "Phew, I'm glad I made it in time."

To which Beth responded by promptly pinching the fleshy part of Quinn's upper arm.

"Ow! What the hell was that for?" Quinn hissed.

"Look in front of you."

"What at those girl's personal floation devices? God, what size is she a triple E?"

"No, Quinn, her date. Look at her date."

Quinn scanned her eyes to the left, and reacted just as Beth had, choking on her gum just the same. The man before them turned around one more time, ever ready to help the damsel in distress. He froze, however, when he saw who the damsel tied to the train tracks was.

The red in Quinn's cheeks began to fade and her breathing returned to normal, once the lodged gum was set free. Neither Quinn, nor the man before her blinked, both fearing that the other would disappear if they did.

"Quinn?" he asked ever so hesitantly

"Puck."

**Yep. That is all you get for now. Haha. Sorry! So I have the next seven chapters planned out... and I need to plan out some more, but only if you are all interested. So please review the chapter and also let me know what you think!**


	13. Chapter 13:Sunsets on the Atlantic

**First off, many apologies about the cliffhanger last chapter. It just had to be done. Maybe if I got more reviews, there would be less cliffhangers. Just saying. So this is Beth's last chapter in New York! I am going to miss it! I love writing about the city! It's probably because I desperately want to live there! I am so eager to write the next few chapters, that I found it difficult to write this one. I hope you are looking forward to the next ones too! The song at the end of the chapter is Highway by Ingrid Michaelson. Please listen to it when Quinn is performing!**

"Quinn?" he asked ever so hesitantly

"Puck."

The redhead bimbo sitting next to Beth's biological father contorted her face into pure disgust, seemingly disturbed by the interaction.

"His name's Noah," she hissed. " Do you mind? We're on a date."

Puck flashed apologetic eyes to the girls and turned around. Whereas the wannabe Hooter's waitress, stuck her tongue out. Quinn reciprocated the gesture. Beth playfully smacked the blonde beside her.

"I know that was very immature of me, but she deserved it."

Beth just rolled her eyes in response and attempted to focus again on the beautiful women before her. She was too distracted, however with the dashing young man before her, who kept trying to sneak a peek in her direction.

When the performance was over, the busty redhead darted out of the arena, obviously upset with the lack of attention she was receiving.

"Candy! Candy wait up!"

Puck stopped trying to pursue the woman and stopped halfway up the stairs and turned,apparently remembering the women behind him.

"Hmmph. Umm... Quinn! Listen, I have to get to work, but will you please, just um, call me?" He pulled out the ticket stub in his pocket, scribbled down a few numbers, and handed the card over to Quinn, who seemed just as flustered as he. He stood, waiting for a response, receiving only a hesitant nod from the blonde, smiled his sideways charmer, and walked out of the building.

Since the girls had opted to see the matinee showing, they still had a few hours of daylight to burn, so Quinn suggested the two drive down to Rockaway Park, claiming that it was the best way to see a sunset. So the two hopped into Quinn's electric car and drove through Manhattan.

It was only 36 minutes later that the two were driving through the small coastal part of Queens. To the left, there were a few shops and an old abandoned train station. To the right, nothing but the endless waters of the Atlantic.

The reality of this being Beth's last night with Quinn hit at that very instant. Tomorrow was her fourth and final day in New York. She would be packing her bags and heading back home, to her mother, to her bizarre family, to Jason.

Quinn seemed to realize what was happening as well. As the sun slipped underneath the vast horizon, Beth could barely hear the quiet radio over their loud sniffling. The blonde silently reached over to the woman beside her and linked their fingers. Neither dared to speak and ruin this moment.

The following morning, Beth found herself drinking a cup of the richest hot cocoa she had ever tasted. She was sitting at a small table in Cafe Lalo, watching Quinn set up her guitar and microphone in the corner, waiting for the taxi to come and take her to the airport. Quinn had explained to Beth earlier, that music was incredibly cathartic for her. When she sang the words she had written, she felt all her worries slip away.

A low hum crackled throughout the coffeehouse as the mic turned on.

"Good morning. Um.. the song I will be singing for you guys this morning, I just wrote last night. I suppose I was feeling inspired. But with that being said, I hope you can all forgive the roughness of it."

Beth looked questioningly at the angel before her. When had she found the time to write an entire song?

The guitar's simple melody began as Quinn focused on the chords.

"On a highway along the Atlantic I'm rifling through these last 17 years.  
The radio waxes romantic. It's lullabies fill our eyes with tears.

We don't say a word.  
There's nothing to say that hasn't been heard.  
And how you've grown my little bird.  
I'm regretting letting you fly."

Beth felt the tears growing larger and larger in her eyes, threatening at to spill down her cheeks at any moment.

"6 pounds and 7 ounces.

A ball of bones and flesh and tears were you.  
Now your hands, your tiny pink hands,

grew larger than my hands ever grew.

We don't say a word.  
There's nothing to say that hasn't been heard.  
And how you've grown my little bird.  
I'm regretting letting you fly.  
I'm regretting letting you fly.  
I'm regretting letting you fly."

The two women had locked eyes, the tears now flooding Beth's rosy cheeks, were freely flowing down Quinn's as well.

"On a highway. On a highway."

Quinn set down her guitar, as the room filled with applause, and ran to Beth. She held the young woman tightly to her chest, muffling the sobs that racked through her tiny body. The women longed to just stay like that a little longer, but the taxi was sitting outside. Quinn kissed Beth's cheek and whispered into her ear, " L'Chayim." The young girl just nodded, squeezed the blonde once more and walked out into the slushy rain.

As she slammed the yellow cab door shut, she heard an identical sound coming from the other door. She turned around and felt her cheeks flush as she laid her eyes on the one and only Noah Puckerman sitting right next to her, looking rather confused himself.

"Well what are the odds," he chuckled.

"I would say one in a million," Beth replied as she wiped the black away from under eyes.

" Do you mind sharing a cab with me?"

"I suppose I could do that," she responded cheekily. The two informed the taxi driver to drive to JFK airport first.

"Good. I don't believe we have had a proper introduction. I'm-"

"Puck," she immediately responded. " I've waited my entire life to meet you."

"I've waited your entire life to meet you too Beth."

The two smiled at each other, identical crooked smiles.

"So, you are leaving New York. Were you here for business or pleasure?" he joked.

"I suppose pleasure. That is, if you qualify running away from home as pleasure."

" Ahh. I see you have inherited my Houdini skills." he pulled out a pack peppermint gum, Beth's favorite. He noticed her eying the box, "Oh I would offer you some, but I don't want you choking on me!"

"I won't choke!" she replied stubbornly as the car pulled up to the airport.

"Alright, alright. Take a piece to remember me by," he mocked. " Do you have any luggage I can get for you?"

"Nope. I only have my purse. Thanks though."

The two stared at each other, neither knowing quite what to say.

"I can pay for the cab?" Beth offered.

"No, really, I've got it," he reassured her. "Have a safe flight Beth. I hope I get to see you again someday."

She climbed out of the cab and walked past the Santa ringing his bell for the Salvation Army. She turned around and watched as the cab pulled out into the street, her biological father waving from the back seat. Walking into the bustling airport, full of travelers, anxious to get home to their families before Christmas ended, Beth felt her stomach churn. She tried to pass it off as the little frog practicing for synchronized swimming, but deep down, she knew that something was warning her. Something was about to change.

**So this chapter was a little bit longer then I had expected. I figured you deserved a little more Puck though. Don't worry, he will be reappearing a little later on, as well as Quinn, although I am sure MarlisaKristine will not find that comforting. Haha. Please oh please review. I will need the motivation during this next chapter.**


	14. Chapter 14:Storm Clouds Over Her Future

**So I am glad most of you are still enjoying this little story. I'm sorry if it seemed like there was a lack of storyline in the last two chapters, but I felt like Beth deserved a little bit of a break. My life is going to be getting pretty hectic again tomorrow, seeing as this is my last day of vacation, so I am not quite sure how often I will update, but I will try my hardest to still be pretty consistent. I don't want any of you forgetting my little tale. Please enjoy!**

Emerging through the angry storming clouds, the plane fluttered from the turbulence. As Beth gripped onto the armrests, she realized how much she had changed in the past few weeks. Whenever she used to fly, she looked forward to the machine's shaking. It made her feel alive. Here she was however, floating above the world, and she wanted nothing more than to be safely on the ground, if only for her little frog.

Shelby had bought her a plane ticket home, knowing that the girl would not actually leave the big city of dreams if there was no guarantee she could return. Beth knew she had to return for her car, so she was fine with coming back home, until she could figure out the rest of her life, or at least the rest of the year.

Would she go to college? How would she get money? Where did Jason fit into all of this? And the thought that constantly invaded her head, would she keep the baby or do what her mother and Quinn had done.

Her hand found its way to the small little bump in her abdomen, and drew little circles across it. All she knew was that she would do everything in her power to keep this little one safe. Quinn had given her the book, What to Expect When You Are Expecting  the same book she had read when pregnant with Beth. She was reading the chapter on week nine and found that her little frog was no longer and embryo and would now be classified as a fetus. She said frog fetus a few times and laughed at the ridiculousness of it all. Her small frog was apparently the size of a green olive, which seemed fitting to Beth, seeing as they are both green. At that moment she chastised herself,hoping that she had not cursed her baby to come out green.

As the plane landed at the Lima Allen County Airport, Beth pulled on her bulky parka, grabbed her purse and prepared to meet her mom. She stood on the escalator, and with each foot down, more people anxiously waiting for loved ones came into view. The airport was rather sparse, however, due to it being Christmas. Once Beth reached the base of the moving stairs she stood on her tiptoes, attempting to see the one person who scared away all the monsters in her closet. There she was, looking out the window, looping a finger through her curls. Just as Beth was about to yell for her mother, the woman turned around. When their eyes connected, both began a slow run towards each other. Their bodies collided and the two wrapped their arms around each other, both blubbering like babies.

"You shouldn't run like that. You might bruise the baby," Shelby teased.

"I'm so sorry Mommy," Beth choked out.

"Hush shhh. It's okay. Everything is going to be okay. My baby. My beautiful baby."

She lowered her hand to Beth's stomach, " You will both be okay. We will get through this together."

She looped her arm around Beth's waist and pulled the young woman out into the cold. The two drove home in relative silence. Both exchanging a few words about New York and the snow. As they pulled into their driveway, Beth noticed Jason's beat-up truck right in front of the house. He was sitting in the driver's seat, apparently contemplating something.

"You two can talk for a little bit, but I have a doctor's appointment scheduled with Dr. Cohen. Thank the lord that some people in this town are Jewish and actually have their practices open on Christmas."

Beth nodded and slid out of her seat towards the boy she loved. She walked up to his car and stood patiently as he got out.

"Hey baby," Beth leaned forward to give him a hug, but felt a cold shudder overcome her when Jason just stood there.

"Beth where the hell were you?"

"I was, I was in New York City, visiting my biological mother," she figured that the truth was probably best at this point.

"And why did you not even bother to call me or text me, telling me you were okay? I was worried sick about you."

"I'm sorry Jason. I am just going through a lot right now."

"Then let's talk about it! Don't shut me out. That's what I am here for! To help fix things, to support you!"

Beth sighed. This is what she was worried about. Why did he always want to fix things? Couldn't he just let things be?

"You know, maybe we just aren't meant to be together, if you can't rely on me, trust me, then I am gonna go find someone who will let me be their boyfriend."

As he was breaking up with her, all she could think about were those mornings when he would compare both of his Pop-Tarts and giver Beth the one with more frosting. "Goodbye Beth." Tears were roaming freely down her cheeks. "Jason- Jason! I love you." "I know. I love you too. That's why this hurts so much." With that he hopped into his car and sped down the street, leaving Beth alone in the street, crying for her lost love. After what seemed like years to Beth, her mother called for her to get in the car and head to the appointment. She pulled her achey body up off the ground and slumped in the chair next to her mother. "Did you two break up?" Shelby asked knowingly. "Mhmm" She whined. " Oh sweetie," Shelby rubbed her daughter's thigh briefly, and then placed it back on the wheel, "How are you feeling?" "Like I just got hit by an 18 wheeler," she moaned. "Aww. Well just know that I love you more than any boy ever could, you will get through this, just like we always get through life's obstacles." The car crossed through the intersection right before the hospital, when a blinding light came shooting through Shelby's window. The older woman looked out as the brightness came closer and closer. She turned to face Beth, pure terror on her face. Christmas sucked. **Yep. Game changer! I am super proud of you that noticed Beth didn't have her car with her. So amazing. As always please please please review. I will need the motivation this week.**


	15. Chapter 15:Yasher Koach

**Hey guys! I just wanted to apologize to you all for the next few chapters. I guarantee, though, that you would not find this story the least bit interesting if I made the rest of it, just about Beth having to pee a billion times a day. You have to fall before you can rise. Please stick with this little tale of mine, it will get better. Oh and "Yasher Koach" means straight strength, or be strong.**

There it was. That infamous light. Beth knew she should go towards it, maybe then there would be peace. She slowly leaned forward and cracked her eyelids open. The light was not the infamous celestial globes from the afterlife, but in turn the high beams of the 18 wheeler that had t-boned her mother's mini SUV. If she thought really hard, she could still feel the collision. As she began to flash in and out of consiousness, she found herself holding a man tightly in her arms.

Once the cloudy confusion in her mind drifted away, however, she realized that the blood staining the ground was her own, and not the man's, and that he was holding Beth, not the other way around. Beth could barely move, but she made sure to focus all her strength in her body on the little baby inside of her. She slowly inched her fingers up her thigh and onto her abdomen, trying to protect something she had never seen or heard.

She felt two strong fingers press against her weak pulse attempting desperately to find life. This man, was trying with everything he had to keep her alive.

The tell tale sound of sirens broke the silence. Young EMT's hopped out of the ambulance and rushed over the collision. Beth knew how bad the accident really was when she saw one of the wide-eyed emergency technicians, throwing up into a bush.

Perhaps the excrement had hit the fan a little harder than Beth had anticipated.

Glass shattered behind Beth, as the EMT's used the jaws of life to remove Shelby from the vehicle. Beth could hear someone talking to her, trying to get her attention, but she could not focus on them, not until her mother was safe. Once the door was removed, Beth wanted nothing more than to see her mother stand up and walk out of the car. Instead, Shelby was slid onto a stretcher, barely moving, an oxygen mask attached to her face.

The older woman motioned for the technician to come closer so she could whisper something to him. He leaned in, nodded, and took long strides over to where Beth was being held.

"You are Beth Corcoran?" he didn't wait for confirmation. "Your mother says you are pregnant. We need to get you on a stretcher as well, for your safety, as well as, the baby's."

The young man who had been holding Beth, attempting to clot the blood gushing from her abdomen, right on her ribs. She was lowered onto a stretcher, right next to her ghostly white mother, she hoped her face was not quite as white.

"Beth. Beth," her mother muttered. "Yasher koach." Beth mumbled a quick "Yasher koach" in response.

The tears stremed sideways down Beth's face as she was rolled into an ambulance seperate from her mother. She wanted nothing more than for this nightmare to be over.

A mask was placed over Beth's nose and mouth, and IV attached to her left arm. Within seconds, her mind started to go numb as the world around her disappeared.

She soon found herself walking along the beach, the wind whipping through her air. A large warm hand enveloped her left hand. The man, whom the hand belonged to, smiled warmly down at Beth. She would recognize those dimples and chocolatey eyes anywhere. Gabriel was dressed in black slacks and a white button down. Beth wasn't quite sure if she preferred him like this or in his work clothes.

He pulled her left hand up to his mouth, and kissed it. Beth was so caught up in the moment, that she almost failed to notice the shiny ring, overpowering her finger.

Her heart leapt as he leaned down to kiss her. A continuous loud tone started echoing throughout her ears, and Gabriel started to fade away, just as his lips made contact with hers. Beth stopped feeling the breeze on her face, and in turn felt her heart soar out of her chest again. Her eyes fluttered open as the endless tone turned into steady beats.

"She's back!" the doctor standing over yelled, his face etched with years of worry and heartbreak. "We thought we'd lost you."

Beth knew these words should relieve her. She had survived, but at that moment, her mind was only thinking of the well-being of that little frog swimming around in her uterus.

"My, my baby?" Beth stuttered.

"There is some internal bleeding. We aren't quite sure where it is coming from, but it looks like the placenta might still be intact. We are going to take you into an OR in order to find the bleeding, stop it, and help keep your baby alive. For now, you need to rest. Your body has been through a lot of trauma tonight."

On any other day, in any other situation, Beth would have pushed the subject, she would have fought for information, but at that moment, she had no more fight left in her, so she spent the next 30 minutes, waiting for the surgeons to cut her open, by making shapes out of the water stains in the ceiling.

She clasped her hands together, pretending that Gabriel was there to make this pain go away, to protect her.

Despite the fact that Jason had just crushed her heart a few hours earlier, Beth thought that since her heart had stopped beating, it served as a restart, allowing her to let go off all her old love, and make new ones.

An orderly walked into her room to wheel her down to the OR. As the stretcher squeaked with each step, Beth found herself praying once more to the Morgan Freeman in the sky. Maybe this time he would hear her prayers. She was coming quite fond of the little frog, despite it's origins.

**So... I hope you aren't too upset with this little turn of events. Please keep reading and reviewing... and don't give up hope. I am a silver lining kind of girl.**


	16. Chapter 16: Endless Uno

**Hello all! So I am glad some of you actually care about the outcome of the characters. It means you give a crap about this little tale, so thank you. No matter what their outcome is, however, please oh please do not give up on it. There will be light on the horizon... eventually. OH! This first little scene is written to the song Corner of Your Heart by Ingrid Michaelson. It brings the correct eeriness to the piece. Please listen to it while reading. Like seriously, put it on repeat or something. Enjoy.**

With every beep of the heart monitor, with every breath, Beth drifted further and further away from that hospital bed. Swaying in and out of consciousness, the pain slowly easing as she was swept back to the ever-familiar sandy shores of her mind. Gabriel's crooked smile started to appear before the rest of his body, just like Alice's Cheshire cat. Gabriel, however, was far less maniacal. As his body and the ground on which she sat, became more solidified Beth knew at once that this was heaven. Perhaps not in the biblical sense, but being here with Gabriel, was as close as she ever wanted to get to the pearly gates.

She leaned up against his firm chest while his arms wrapped around her torso. As his hands brushed against her womb, a pang of fear erupted throughout her body. She couldn't quite recall what was wrong, but she knew she was forgetting something. She knew there was something she was supposed to be doing. Someone who needed her, but she just couldn't remember. It just didn't seem right.

Gabriel's warm breath tickled Beth's neck, causing goosebumps to appear. She sat tensely against his muscular frame.

"Love, what's wrong?" Gabriel questioned the woman before him.

As she tried to answer, visions of her surgeons' worried faces flashed before her. Unknowingly, Beth had lifted up the base of her blouse, revealing the toned stomach she had worked so hard to attain. She glanced at her ribs, where she had been wounded. The gash was cleaner then when she had last seen it. The blood was still slowly oozing, mixing with the iodine that had been smeared on.

She attempted to look away from the wound, to try and focus on the beautiful boy before her, but she was mesmorized. Staring at the flesh, she watched as it was pulled together, held by an invisible string. The last few drops of blood bubbled up between the now small, rip in her skin. Her flesh began to loose its yellow coloring and slowly returned to a pasty white. Her stomach lost its tone, and began to slightly round with the bundle of new life. Realization hit Beth just as suddenly. Although this life, this peaceful alternative with Gabriel seemed quite simply perfect, Beth knew that she couldn't just abandon her little frog. She knew that the beautiful baby would have no shot at life, if Beth didn't fight for it.

Beth turned her body so that she was facing her guardian angel, grabbed his face with both of her hands, and kissed him long and hard because she knew that this might be the last time she would ever see him. She was willing to take that risk.

As her head began to get dizzy from the lack of oxygen and adrenaline from kissing Gabriel, Beth felt all the pain rush back to her body once again.

She didn't dare open her eyes, for fear of what laid before her. Instead, she laid as still as a board, waiting. Beth felt pressure on her left hand, as someone linked fingers with her, pressing a soft kiss against her palm.

Cracking her eyes open, Beth saw a mess of blonde hair sprawled out over the bed. Apparently, God sent angels to Earth too. Beth picked up her right hand and ran it through Quinn's hair.

Startled by the unexpected movement, Quinn shot upward, her eyes red and puffy from crying all night, her face blotchy.

"Beth!" she sighed. "Oh my god Beth. You're alive," she choked on her words, obviously trying to keep it together, to be strong for the adolescent.

"I was so worried about you. They called my house and said you were in an accident and I got here as quick as I could. My beautiful little bird."

Fat crystalline tears shed from her emerald green eyes. Apparently, the blonde was speechless, so she just sat there trying to stop the tears from falling until a knock came from the door.

"Can I come in or are you swapping vagina stories?"

"Don't make me regret calling you Puck," Quinn replied, wiping the black away from under her eyes, whereas Beth started to giggle at the bizarre man in her doorway. Laughing hurt, however, so she tried with all her might to control her laughter.

"How you doing B? Kicking ass and taking names?"

Beth sat quietly contemplating his question. How was she doing?

"I am... tired... worried... pissed off... confused...in pain..bored... and hungry."

Quinn squeezed Beth's hand tighter, trying to comfort her mind.

"Well I can't help with most of those... but I can fix the bored problem."

With that he pulled out a worn pack of cards, the corners of the red box wearing away.

"Uno? You brought Uno?" Quinn questioned.

"What's Uno?" Beth asked.

"Only the coolest game in the world! I can't believe you have never played it," Puck replied.

As he was dealing out the different hands, three heads popped out from behind the door.

"Oh thank God you are awake! I have been waiting for the past five hours for visiting hours. Good God, I was worried sick! A semi? Honestly! What is wrong with that man? Doesn't he realize that it's Christmas!" Rachel went on a rampage.

Finn mouthed "Sorry" and brought in a timid Nick, who was scared to see his aunt in so much pain. Nick walked up to Beth's bed, rose to his tiptoes and whispered in her ear.

Beth began to laugh at the young boy's absurd question and replied, "Of course I would love some pudding Nicky. Thank you!"

The young boy kissed her on the cheek, handed her a tub of pudding and a neon pink spoon, which Rachel had bedazzled, and climbed up on the base of her bed.

As the group started to play the card game, they all found that Puck would show no mercy. Just because his daughter had survived a deadly car accident, and two surgeries, didn't mean he would let her win their epic Uno tournament.

For the rest of the night, the four high school friends and their children sat around playing Uno, all trying to hide their uncertainty for what tomorrow would bring.

**Let me know what you all think! I hope you listened to the song, it really really helps bring the mood to the piece. Please please please review. I absolutely love to hear what you all think about my little corner of the Glee universe. **


	17. Chapter 17: Unanswered Prayers

**Hello friends. I would really love your response on this chapter as to whether you would like a lot more of this story or just a few more chapters. It seems like I am getting less readers as the time goes on and I don't want to be writing for two people. I will just start a new one. Perhaps a puckleberry story. Let me know. Oh and please tell me what you think of this chapter. It just had to happen. Please listen to So Long by Ingrid Michaelson when reading this chapter. It truly sets the mood.**

Bent Uno cards were littered all over the scratchy wool blanket. Finn, Rachel and Nicky were snuggled together in a corner. Nicky resting his head on Rachel's breast, Rachel laying on Finn's shoulder. Puck was sitting in a chair by the window, his legs sprawled out in every direction, his head tilted against the window, his soft snores vibrated in Beth's ears. Quinn was still resting right beside Beth, ever-worried about the young girl's safety, their fingers still interlinked. Beth was sure her family would sleep through World War 3.

An empty container of chocolate pudding sat on the tray suspended over Beth's bed. The cup of ice chips Quinn had insisted Beth suck on, was now uneaten and completely melted in the plastic cup, a ring of condensation around it.

Beth stared at the red neon clock hanging above her door. It had been 12 hours and 42 minutes since her world was flipped upside down, only 23 hours since she had left New York, and yet it felt like decades had past since she Jason had driven away from her.

The door creaked as Beth's favorite nurse, Jackie, walked in. Jackie had allowed Beth's entire family to spend the night, despite the fact that it was entirely against regulation. The voluptuous woman tiptoed towards Beth's bed, her dark skin glowing under the harsh hospital lighting.

"Beth, honey, how are you feeling? Any pain? We are trying to ease up on the pain meds so that the baby has a higher chance of survival. Although the little one seems to be stable for now, we don't want to take any chances."

"I think I am okay. I don't need anymore meds."

"You and your little one, you're fighters," she smiled down at the broken woman staring up at her.

"Beth, since you're feeling alright, I was thinking you might want to get in a wheelchair and go visit your mother in the ICU."

"Well, I'm not sure, I don't want to leave and have my family wake up without me here-"

"Honey, your momma doesn't have that long. She wasn't as lucky as you were. You need to prepare yourself, you need to say your goodbyes."

A knot formed in Beth's throat, it felt like a piano was on her chest weighing her down. Jackie rolled a wheelchair from the hallway into the room and helped ease Beth into the contraption. As she wheeled Beth down the hallway to the Intensive Care Unit, she kept a comforting hand on the girl's shoulder, helping reassure her.

As her mother's emaciated body came into view, the reality of the situation hit Beth harder than the bus had. Her mother looked like Frankenstein's monster, hooked up to all the machines, wires attached all over her body. Her face was ghostly white, large purple bruises surrounding her eyes, large gashes ran up both her arms, almost like a rabid animal had attacked her. The beeping of her heart monitor was very quiet, and sporadic. She did not resemble Shelby in anyway.

Jackie pushed Beth forward so that she was right beside Shelby. Beth reached up for her mother's hand, but hesitated and looked back at Jackie for approval. The woman nodded and smiled warmly back at her, tears building in her large brown eyes. Beth lightly held her mother's hand, scared that the slightest movement in the wrong direction would cause her mother insurmountable pain.

Tears flooded down Beth's cheeks as she thought back to a song she used to dance to. It's rhythm was incomplete, it's vocals were whiny, but it's lyrics had always seemed to strike a chord with her. One line, echoed over and over through her head at that time. To love someone is to watch them die. Despite the obvious amount of pain it brought to Beth to see her mother lying there, immobile, unable to breath or do anything on her own, she knew that she couldn't leave her mother alone.

So Beth closed her eyes, clasped both hands over her mothers and prayed. After a few hours of sitting and waiting, the rest of Beth's family had found their way into Shelby's room. The silence felt so foreign to Beth. No one dared to speak a word, all just sat silently, praying for the woman lying crumpled in the hospital bed.

It was at that time that Beth learned one of life's most difficult lessons. Sometimes, God says no to your prayers, so she died.

"When I was little, I was incapable of holding onto anything for too long. It wasn't that big on an issue, I could always pick up whatever I had lost... except for balloons. My mother, my mommy, always told me that when you go to heaven, God gives you all the balloons you lost when you were alive. So I thought we could loose a few more, so Mom will have a proper welcome."

The small group of mismatched people gathered for Shelby's funeral grabbed the white balloons emblazoned with a golden star to send off to the were all dressed in their modest black dresses, the women with veils, just the right amount of theatricality for Shelby.

Beth couldn't think of anything witty or poignant to write to her mother, so instead she wrote " I miss you" and watched as it floated higher and higher into the stormy clouds above.

**I hope this wasn't too depressing. I was definitely crying when I wrote it. What can I say? Ingrid Michaelson puts me in a funk. Please please please review, let me know if you want more or if you want a new story. I would love to hear your opinions.**


	18. Chapter 18: A Rocky Road

**Alright so here is what I am thinking. I am going to write about ten more chapters... I think. Hahah. Don't hold me to that. I am glad some of you cried along with me. I get incredibly attached to characters too. I would also just like to say thank you to those consistent seven reviewers. You have all made it so much more interesting to write this story. I am pretty sure I would keep writing forever just for you guys. SO, with that being said, If any of you have something you would like to see included in the next ten chapters, I am willing to strongly consider it! Enjoy.**

Whole wheat, white, oat, reduced fat, cholesterol free, heart healthy, sourdough, rye, Beth stood motionless, staring at all the endless options of bread before her. She never had to know about this sort of thing before, her mother used to take care of the groceries. Grabbing the closest loaf to her cart, Beth threw it in and wheeled away, towards the frozen foods.

Ever since the accident, the little frog inside of her had her craving some pretty bizarre concoctions. Most recently, Beth ate a giant bowl of vanilla ice cream with stale potato chips crumbled up on top. The thought of her devouring the "sundae" in just a few bites, now made Beth incredibly nauseous. Or perhaps, that was just the morning sickness.

She strolled by the array of new ice cream flavors and thought back to all the times her mother had brought her a glass of ice cream to mend broken hearts, or take away the pain of a skinned knee. Living without her mother would make those pains harder to bear.

Just as Beth had picked out a gallon of discount Rocky Road, the song Isn't She Lovely by Stevie Wonder began to echo throughout Ray's Supermarket. Shelby used to sing it to Beth every night before Beth went to sleep as a child. Beth tried her hardest to keep it together, to not fall apart in front of the frozen desserts. Instead, however, when Stevie belted out the chorus, Beth burst into sobs, her whole body shaking from the built up pressure. She, not so gracefully, fell to the ground, and pushed herself up against the shelves of cake decorations attempting to find something solid to support her. Clasping her hands over her eyes, Beth just sat there on aisle 13, and sobbed.

She nearly flew off the ground when a large warm hand landed on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to scare you!" Beth looked up at the bulky young man before her.

"Beth?" he questioned. "I heard about your mom. I'm really sorry."

The man had crouched down next to Beth, and as her vision began to clear, Beth realized that it was Micah from Glee club. He pulled a crumpled napkin from Wendy's out of his pocket and offered it to Beth. She quickly wiped at the tears, trying to hide any signs of pain and attempted to smile, though it actually looked like more of a grimace.

"I'm fine."

"Beth! No, you're not! You're crying all over the waffle cones," Micah whispered. " Seriously I can't imagine what you are going through. I mean after everything with Jason...what a douche. I am so glad that you cheated on him while you had the chance."

Beth looked over at the hockey player, confusion etched across her face.

"Micah, I never cheated on Jason?"

"Yeah sorry I saw you with that guy at Shelley's party. Don't worry I won't think any less of you for hooking up with some stranger. I even texted your mom so that you wouldn't get in trouble for staying out too late."

Beth's face crumbled, her palms began to perspire.

"Oh my god, I am an idiot. I am so sorry I didn't mean to mention your mother."

"It's not that Micah... I just... that guy... I wasn't hooking up with him."

"But..." Beth watched as the wheels began to click in Micah's head, his eyes wide with shock. His pudgy hands clenched into fists as he realized what he had witnessed.

"He raped you."

Micah was not asking a question, just attempting to make sense of the senseless. Beth nodded, unsure of how he would react. His eyes scanned down Beth's figure, searching for the bruises and cuts that had long sense healed. He instead, stopped once his eyes had reached her swollen abdomen. Although Beth was only on her twelfth week of pregnancy, Beth's petite frame did not hide the baby at all. Beth instinctively covered the little one inside of her with her palm, terrified of what Micah would say.

"Please tell me it's Jason's," Micah mumbled.

Beth shook her head, fat tears rolling down her cheeks.

"This is all my fault. If I had just realized what was happening, I would have killed that guy."

"Micah, stop," Beth urged. "This isn't your fault. Really, it isn't. It's mine. If I hadn't been so upset with Jason, I would never have let him take me downstairs. If I hadn't run away from home, Jason and I would still be together. If I hadn't been pregnant my mother wouldn't have had to take me to the doctor's and she would still be alive. If this is anyone's fault it's mine."

As sobs racked through Beth's chest, Micah held her closely and just let her cry.

After Beth's breathing eased, she pulled herself away from the warmth and protection of Micah's chest wiped her eyes and slowly stood up.

"I'm sorry about that," Beth's cheeks flushed red with embarrassment from her break down.

"Beth, honestly, It's fine. I am just sorry I couldn't help earlier. We miss you in Glee. It just doesn't feel the same without you. Plus our choreography sucks." Beth smiled weakly at the sentiment.

"Maybe you could come to school this week and help us with our new piece?"

"Of course. I would love to help you guys out."

"Great. I will call you with more details?"

After the two hugged once more, Micah turned and left the store, making sure Beth texted him once she got home.

Beth looked back towards the ice cream and put three gallons of Ben and Jerry's Phish Food into her cart. This was going to be a long week.

**So I know a lot didn't really happen in this chapter but it sets up the next chapter, which I am incredibly psyched to write... SO! Have fun watching the Emmy's tonight, lets hope Glee wins them all! I will try to get the next chapter out soon. Reviews will help me write faster though! REVIEW PLEASE! 3**


	19. Chapter 19:Potless Cupcakes

**I am not quite sure why, but I was incredibly excited to write this chapter. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do! Probably because so much happens in it. Plus I love a little family interaction. Just thought I should let you know that I was writing this while listening to Pandora radio, when a commercial with Mark Salling talking against texting and driving came on. It freaked the crap out of me, listening to Puck talking to me while I was speaking for him. **

The room was relatively silent besides the occasional screeching of a knife across a plate, or the thudding of Nicky's shoes against the table leg. The large grandfather clock's quiet ticks seemed incredibly loud in comparison to the solemn family huddled around the dinning room table. With every passing minute, Beth became more and more upset with her family's silence.

"Alright, I think that constitutes enough silence to satisfy my mother's desire for drama," Beth joked.

The corners of Quinn's mouth pulled upward into a sympathetic smile. Rachel awkwardly cleared her throat.

"Wow. Tough crowd," Beth mumbled. "Listen, guys, I appreciate that you are all missing Mom just as much as I am, but it has been three weeks. It's a new year, a new start. Mom, wouldn't want us to stop living our lives, she would want us to thrive and write a new ending to our stories. And if this whole silent act is to not upset me, well just stop worrying about me already. I am fine."

"Beth, you have experienced more in the past few weeks than most people experience in a lifetime. Everyone would understand if you just want to take a few weeks off to recuperate," Rachel spoke softly.

"Thanks Rach, but really I am fine. I think the only way I can get past all of this, is to move on to something else, to let the past be the past."

" _So_, with that being said... how about them Knicks?" Puck was obviously attempting to break the ice.

Quinn looked over at his cleanly shaved head. " Really? That's the best you could come up with?" she teased. "The Knicks? Honestly, the Celtics, statistically speaking, are a far better team, and much more fun to look at if I might add."

"THE CELTICS? Oh Q, what has happened to you since high school. You were always so sensible," Puck retorted.

Quinn scoffed, pretending to be offended, ignored Nicky and Finn's snickers from the other end of the table, while Rachel and Beth smiled for the first time since their mother's death.

At that moment, despite all the heartbreak and pain Beth had been through since Shelley Chan's party, she realized that perhaps it was true, that you could only rise after you had fallen.

After the plates had been cleared and Finn, Rachel and Nick had left, Beth was curled up in her bed chatting with Micah on facebook, finalizing the last details of Beth's trip the following day to help choreograph their new routine.

As she was singing off, her door cracked open and Quinn stuck her head inside, a quizzical look on her face.

"Can I offer you some of Puck's 'world-famous' cupcakes?"

"Hmmm... only if he left out the pot this time. I don't think the little froggy would like marijuana," Beth replied.

"Oh my god. Who told you?"

"Rachel let it slip, earlier today, and made me promise that 'I wouldn't indulge in my father's preposterous recreation'."

The two women sighed simultaneously.

"No pot in this batch, " Quinn announced as she handed a bizarre pink concoction to Beth, who stared questioningly at the treat. "He thought pink would cheer you up."

Beth peeled back the shiny silver wrapper and bit into the chocolate cake, rose colored icing smearing abover her top lip.

"Hey Beth, I know you might not want to be thinking about this right now, and I don't want to pressure you into starting something you aren't ready for, but I was wondering if you had any plans for the future."

Beth sat silently staring out the window at the flashing bulb of the streetlight outside her window. What were her plans for the future? She had always planned on going to college, but ever since the baby, she knew those plans had to be put on hold.

"I don't know what my future holds," Beth answered honestly.

"Well, would you like to stay in this house, or maybe move in with Rachel and Finn? I am sure they would love to have you."

"I can't stay in Lima. I refuse to be another Lima looser who gets stuck here."

"Alright, well where do you want to go?" Quinn pondered.

"New York." Beth answered without a moment's hesitaion. "With you, if you will have me."

Quinn's entire face lit up as she smiled back at Beth, "I was hoping you would say that."

Beth snuck into her alma mater before their eighth and final period was over, so only the Glee club would see her. She wasn't sure if she would ever be ready to face her classmates.

Wrapping her pea coat tighter around her shaking frame, Beth cursed Principal Figgins for giving the money for the heater to the Cheerios.

She cracked open the door to the dance studio, where the Glee club was scheduled to meet her. Sitting over by the stereo was her favorite teacher, tapping his foot to the familiar tune of Don't Stop Believing. Beth cleared her throat as she approached the graying Mr. Schue, careful to not startle him.

As he turned around, a large grin broke out across his face as he saw Beth glide over towards him. He walked over to short brunette and wrapped his arms around her.

"How are you holding up?" he asked, concerned for the adolescents well-being.

"I'm doing alright, hanging on." He nodded his head knowingly.

"Well I know everyone is excited you came in. They wouldn't stop talking about how much they missed you last meeting."

Beth began to reciprocate how she had missed the club, the doors to the studio swung open as the Glee club poured in, many of the members running up to Beth to give her a hug. As the ruckus calmed down Mr. Schue introduced Beth and explained to the club what she was doing there.

"Without further ado, I would like to give the stage over to Beth who I believe will demonstrate the routine for you all once, and then teach it to you afterwards, so if you would please have a seat right beneath the mirrors."

The little frog in Beth's stomach started to hop around as she slowly unbuttoned her coat, revealing the form fitting leotard,tights and legwarmers underneath. She focused on the reflection before and saw the small bump clearly defined in the mirror. It no longer looked like she had eaten one too many donuts. Now entering her second trimester, Beth clearly looked with child.

She looked down at the shocked expressions of her fellow Glee club and saw the reassuring smiles of both Mr. Schue and Micah. Beth took a deep breath as the music began to swell deep in her soul. She longed for nothing else, than to loose track of the world for the next three minute, while she spun around the room.

**So, I know some of you will hate this chapter, but please oh please give the rest of this story a chance! As always review review review. If you would like to see a little something more in this story let me know. I am adding a little Finchel later on due to one amazing reviewer's request.**

**Have an amazing next Tuesday... or whatever day of the week it is for you around the world! XOXO**


	20. Chapter 20:Calm the Hell Down

**IT'S FINALLY CHAPTER 20! Here's what I decided. In order to get tons of reviews, I have to kill someone off. Haha. Thank you to the few of you who reviewed last chapter. ****Anyways, I hope you like the next few chapters. I am currently brainstorming/planning for a new story, so when it gets posted I will be sure to post the title on this little tale! I apologize for the profanities... ENJOY!**

As the heavy rhythmic beat began to soften and the song came to a close, Beth stood still, her chest heaving, bracing herself for the club's reaction. She knew that none of them were thinking about the new choreography. They were all staring at her, but none of them were looking at her eyes. Beth thought there might as well be a giant flashing neon sign on her stomach saying "LOOK AT ME!"

The thick air stood still around Beth as she tried to figure out what to do, what to say, to get out of this mess. Micah, the pudgy night in rusted armor came to her rescue.

"God, you guys are idiots. She's pregnant. Get over it." Turning to Beth he whispered, "Keep your head up high Beth. Never let anyone tell you that you aren't good enough."

She smiled up at the young man she had greatly underestimated. Wiping away the stray tear that was running down her face, Beth gave him a brief hug and turned to face the rest of the club.

"Beth, is it Jason's?" Jane asked softly, scared of what the answer might be.

Beth shook her head as a few more tears skidded down her rosy cheeks. The young red-head took a few steps closer to Beth and grabbed both of her hands.

"Oh Beth," she whispered, lifting Beth's chin up to look in her eyes. "I cannot think of a better person to be a mother," she spoke earnestly and wrapped her arms around the petite brunette, the action speaking volumes.

"Well, enough of this lovey dovey stuff, can we please practice?" Micah teased.

After two hours of rehearsal, Beth was beat, but decided to stray behind a little longer to talk to Mr. Schue, while the rest of the club went on to lead their normal lives.

"Hey Beth, thanks for helping us out today, it truly hasn't been the same without you here. Not many people have the passion you have," the one teacher Beth liked at McKinley said as he sweeped up the floor of the dance studio.

"You didn't seem shocked," Beth muttered. Mr. Schuester looked at her confused. "When I took off my jacket, you didn't seem shocked to see the baby bump."

"Ah," Mr. Schue gasped. " The few weeks before you left, you acted just as Quinn did when she found out she was pregnant with you. I think it was after the third time you dashed out of the room that all the signs clicked. I just assumed you didn't want to tell anyone, and I know you have an extremely supportive family, so I figured I would just give you your privacy."

Beth was about to respond to her teacher, when she heard the dull staccato of fists impacting flesh. Both teacher and graduate rushed out of the room to see what all the scuffle was about.

Gripping onto the thick wool of Jason's Letterman jacket, Micah was pummeling the smaller man's face.

Mr. Schue dashed over to the boys, desperately trying to separate the angry hockey player from the bashed up basketball player.

"Micah! Calm the hell down!" William Schuester yelled. After waiting for the boys to contain their anger the choir teacher asked, "Now will one of you please tell me what in god's name is going on?"

Micah, nursing his swollen right fist mumbled something incomprehensible.

"Spit it out son," Mr. Schue urged him.

"This asshole called Beth a slut," Micah murmured.

As the words processed in Beth's already jumbled mind, she realized that she was already rushing towards Jason.

"Beth?" Mr. Schue warned her.

"Don't worry, Mr. Schue, I won't hurt him," she replied through clenched teeth.

Turning back to her abused ex-boyfriend, she looked at him quizzically.

"You want to know why I am like this? Do you?" she yelled. " It's because when you broke up with me after having 'doubts' about us, I let a guy kiss me at Shelley's party. But guess what? Apparently I am not a good enough kisser because he _raped_ me!" she screamed. Beth began to choke on the sob she had been holding back, tears puddling at her feet. "I am truly sorry if this interferes with your perfect reputation!" she spat.

As Beth was making a dramatic exit her mother would have been proud of she overheard Mr. Schuester saying, "Don't you dare go after her. She deserves much better than you could ever give."

Despite all the crap that this school had put her through, all the annoying teachers, late nights of homework, and bitchy cheerleaders, she was a little sad she had to leave it all because she knew that no matter what, she had 19 glee club members and one amazing mentor who would always have her back.

Finn, Puck, and Beth were all sprawled out around the family room, a roaring fire crackling in the background. Rachel had insisted that they read her maternity books to be prepared for the little amphibian, while she and Quinn met with the real estate agent in charge of selling Beth's childhood home.

Beth seemed to be the only one of the three actually interested in reading the books. Finn was too fascinated with the basketball game on TV, and Puck had propped the book over his face in order to get a little shut-eye.

As Beth looked around the room at her quirky family and took in the scent of fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies, and recalled all the rough times she had been through in the past two and a half months, one question kept popping up in her mind.

Was she really falling, or was she just flying?

**So I know this was kinda short, but I wanted to finish what happened at school and kinda let Micah right his wrong. I hope you felt the intensity of Beth's outbreak. I am trying to get that pregnancy emotion into all of it! Haha sorry if she is too dramatic. During this week, I would just like all of you amazing readers out there to remember what Micah said, "Keep your head up high, and don't let anyone tell you you're not good enough." You are all individuals of worth and value and appreciate every single one of you. Thank you for coming on this bizarre journey with me.**


	21. Chapter 21:Toxic Cheese

**Hola! I am sorry it took me so long to get this chapter out! I didn't have any access to wifi! Terrible, I know. The time away did allow me to come up with my new story, so I will try and write both stories at the same time. I will post the title of the next story on the next chapter... Thank you so much for reading for this long! You all have honored me so much! As always, please review.**

It had been Rachel's "scathingly brilliant idea" for Beth to spend more time with Nick to learn the responsibility of having a child around. As Beth sat at the sticky neon orange booth at Chuck E Cheese's, smelling the toxic cheese on the pizza before her, she realized that these "responsibility lessons" were probably just Rachel's way of getting a free babysitter. Either that, or Rachel was trying to be a matchmaker and give Puck and Quinn a little alone time.

She glanced over at the Whack a Mole machine Nicky was currently vegging out in front of, and realized that it was probably time to get the little monster home. Throwing Nick's sticky soda-covered jacket over her arm, Beth walked over to the young boy.

"Aunt Bethy! Can't I stay for just one more game?" he whined.

"Sorry kiddo, your momma will kill me if I keep you up past your bedtime!"

His eyes widened as he nodded knowingly.

On the ride home, Nicky's heavy eyelids sealed shut as he drifted off to sleep. Beth was scared that all the toxic cheese he had eaten would give him nightmares.

She carefully unbuckled the sleeping child from his car seat and held him tightly against her chest. Unlatching the front door, Beth sauntered into the Hudson's family room, balancing her purse on her right shoulder, Nick on her left.

There curled on the couch was Beth's definition of the perfect couple. Finn was sprawled out on the couch, his head resting peacefully on Rachel's lap. The two had stuck together through all the good times and the bad. When Rachel won her Tony, Finn was there cheering her on in the crowd. When Finn tore his ACL in college, making it impossible for him to ever play football again, Rachel played the dutiful girlfriend and nursed him back to health.

Beth allowed the two to rest as she crept up the stairs to tuck Nick in bed. After pulling up the blanket around his chin and kissing him on the forehead, Beth turned around to head back down the stairs, but was startled to find Rachel silhouetted in the doorway.

The sisters shuffled out into the hallway, to not disturb the sleeping child.

"Thank you so much for watching him Beth. I know how he loves to spend time with you. I suppose you are just a natural at watching children."

"Anytime Rach. I like spending time with the little rascal too. Did you two enjoy your time alone?" Beth responded raising her eyebrows knowingly.

Rachel's round face flushed red, "I suppose we did. I got to share some pretty exciting news with him."

"News?" Beth frowned, confused.

"I want to have another child."

"Oh my god. Oh my god! Rach!" Beth squealed, excited for her big sister. All of a sudden Beth froze. "Rachel, please tell me you aren't planning on having a baby right after mine."

"Oh good god no! We were thinking maybe once your little one is six months old, we will start trying. That way we won't take away any of your thunder," Rachel responded.

"Yay!" Beth whispered. "This is going to be perfect! Froggy will have a little playmate!"

"Those were my thoughts exactly!"

Finn's giant form appeared behind Rachel, his hair sticking up in every generation.

"Did you honestly tell her we were trying?" Finn questioned. "Rach, your little sister does not want to hear about our sex life."

"I do when it involves a cousin for Froggy," Beth replied smugly.

Finn rolled his eyes and walked into his room, not even bothering to say goodbye to Beth.

Beth stood outside her childhood home, staring at the little red SOLD sign in the freshly manicured lawn. It had been sixteen weeks since Shelley Chan's party. If you had told her then that in a few short weeks, her mother would be gone and she would be living with her biological parents, with a little one on the way, Beth would have laughed in your face, but here she was. Finn, Puck, Micah, and Mr. Schue had just finished loading the Goodwill truck full of whatever furniture or loose items Beth no longer wanted, emptying the two-story house before her.

Holding on to the tattered quilt her mother had made her as a child, Beth made the last round through the house, making sure she wasn't leaving anything behind.

Walking into her mother's room, Beth's eyes welled with tears, the familiar scent of her mother's lilac perfume still evident. She swallowed the knot forming in her throat. She had vowed to her mother that she would stay strong, and she would keep that promise.

The whispers of lost laughter echoed throughout the hallway as Beth reminisced of memories long past.

Out the window, Beth saw the Goodwill truck bustle away. It was time for Beth to pack into the already overstuffed car with Quinn and Puck. It was time for Beth to drive away from this place full of unanswered prayers, faded dreams, and haunting nightmares. It was time for Beth to move on.

Stepping back out into the blinding sunlight. Closing the door, Beth whispered, "Yasher Koach."

At that moment, Beth truly realized what it meant to let go.

**NEW YORK! haha I am super excited for Beth and Quick to head back to the big apple. Some old faces will reappear! Please please please review!**


	22. Chapter 22:Angels in the City

**So ya'll, my new story "Fifty Cents for Your Soul" has been published. You should go check it out. It will be an epic Puckleberry, though I am not sure it will be as long as this little story. I have to say I was super excited to see someone was printing off Apples and Trees instead of paying attention during school. I actually laughed out loud when I read that. Yay for procrastination! I write these stories instead of working, so I suppose it is meant for procrastinators. Here is Chapter 22, we are getting into the final stretch of this story... I think. Haha. This story is written to the song Starting Now by Ingrid Michaelson. Enjoy!**

Steam clouded around Beth's face as she attempted to turn off the sputtering espresso machine, her face now hot and sticky from the gaseous water. Despite her two weeks of training at Cafe Lalo, she still found it difficult to work this temperamental machine.

"Here let me help," Tina zipped over to Beth, pulled two levers and hit the machine sideways. With a few more sighs of discontent, the machine finally gave in and spit out the espresso, Beth's customer at table three had been waiting for. Grabbing the raspberry scone off the counter, Beth waddled over to the table balancing both the steaming cup and the pastry. Tina joked that since Beth was now 19 weeks along, the baby was the perfect size to be Beth's personal tray.

Wiping the sweat from her brow, Beth went behind the counter to hang up her apron. She had just finished her last shift of her first full week of official work and was eager to get home and watch some Grey's Anatomy re-runs with Quinn.

As she walked out into the crisp air, Beth wished she had worn more than just a measly scarf and some boots. She wrapped her arms tighter around her frame and began her short walk back to Quinn's apartment, or rather the palace as Beth called it.

Beth had taken no more than two steps when she crashed right into the large muscular frame of a young man who was obviously not used to the hustle and bustle of the big city. As her vision began to clear and the man's face came into focus, Beth's hand shot up to her arm pinching it repeatedly. She could not fathom this.

Standing before her, was a slightly confused Gabriel, his hands tightly gripping onto the flimsy map of New York City. All sense of reason drained from Beth's brain as she stood there gaping at the young man. Was she dead? Was her guardian angel here to take her to the afterlife?

Cupping a sturdy hand over his eyes, Gabriel glanced down at the gawking young woman before him. His eyes instantly light up as a smile overtook his face.

"Well I'll be," his cheery voice warming Beth's shivering body. "If it isn't my favorite mysterious customer."

Laughing Beth responded, "I didn't think you would remember me."

"Oh, but how could I forget such a lovely smile? It's Beth right?"

Beth nodded in response, the butterflies in her stomach reawakening. The butterflies were soon replaced with a giant knot, however, as Gabriel's eyes scanned down Beth's frame, landing on her swollen abdomen.

"So did you find what you were looking for?" Gabriel vaguely asked. "I mean in the big apple."

"I suppose so," Beth responded. "I actually just moved here permanently a few weeks ago."

"Fancy that. I just moved here permanently last weekend. We should get together sometime, maybe you can show me around the city?"

"I'd like that," Beth beamed at the young Brit.

After Beth promised to call Gabriel and set up a time they could get together, he said his goodbyes and wandered off down the bustling metropolitan street. As she stood outside watching her breath merge with the cold airand starlight, Beth realized that Gabriel would never need her as much as she needed him to need her.

The icy cold liquid squirted out onto Beth's round stomach as the obstetrician began to perform an ultrasound on froggy. Puck and Quinn were sitting to the right of Beth, Quinn's fingers still interlaced with Beth's, Puck attempting to be patient.

Beth had had numerous ultrasounds, and as such thought they were nothing to get too excited about. Perhaps she shed a few tears at the first ultrasound, but who wouldn't tear up slightly at hearing the hollow sound of their baby's heartbeat. This appointment, would be just like every other. The baby would be healthy, Beth would be fine, and another two hours of Beth's life would be wasted.

Just as Beth was starting to despise the feeling of the doctor's wand rubbing against her womb, the small woman spoke up.

"Everything seems to be going well. I know you haven't been feeling much movement of the fetus lately, but that is nothing to worry about just yet. Before you go though, I could tell you the gender of your child if you are interested."

Beth's eyes grew as wide as saucers. She had never considered before if she wanted the baby's gender to be a surprise. Would it make her a terrible mother if she was disappointed with the gender?

She looked over at Quinn, fear evident on her face.

"It's up to you B. No one will think any less of you either way," Quinn responded rationally. Puck, however, had an urging look on his face, as if the anticipation of the child's gender would kill him.

"I want to know the gender." Puck sighed in relief at Beth's decision.

"Alright then, let me just move this wand down a little lower... Hmm.. Well... Congratulations Beth, it looks like you are going to be having a little girl."

**I hope you like the baby's gender. I know I do. Haha. Please please please review this chapter and head on over to my profile to read my new Puckleberry story! Enjoy these next few days and be safe! I would like you all back safe and sound to read the next installment of this little story!**


	23. Chapter 23: Words in the Sand

**I just found out that my little asterisks symbolizing time passing are not being translated onto the website... That is simply terrible. I am so sorry if that confused any of you! From now on I will symbolize time passing by writing time passing in parentheses. If you haven't checked out my other story yet, you should. I will be posting more to it this weekend. The song being danced to in the beginning is Right as Rain by Adele. Enjoy!**

The cool breeze rushing in the bay windows in Beth's room, made the curtains soar into the air as Beth lay content in her bed. It was Saturday morning and for once things seemed to be going well. Since she had run into Gabriel two weeks ago, the two had spoken every night on the phone, while Beth walked home from work. Talking to him made her feel safe in the big city. On a few occasions, Beth didn't need to call Gabriel because he would show up at Cafe Lalo unannounced, just to walk her home.

Beth was content, which was a lot for her considering the past few months. She got her precious car back, she had a boy she liked who would protect her, she was living in New York City, and Quinn and Puck had been making googly eyes at each other for the past two weeks.

Just as Beth was about to curl back into her pillows and sleep for a few more hours, the sputtering of a few notes started to emerge from the surround sound speakers installed in Beth's room and throughout the palace. Suddenly, Beth's door burst open to reveal Quinn in her lacy white nightgown, her blonde hair laying in wisps around her dramatic face. As the song began, she whipped out a round hairbrush from behind her back and began to sing moodily along to the warm tune.

"Who wants to be right as rain it's better when something is wrong.

You get excitement in your bones and everything you do is a game.

When night comes and your on your own you can say i chose to be alone.

Who wants to be right as rain it's harder when you're on top."

As the song began to lead into the soulful chorus Beth jumped up on her bed and joined Quinn with the background vocals. Twirling around the apartment the two girls began to sing at the top of their lungs.

"Cause when hard work don't pay off and I'm tired

There ain't no room in my bed as far as I'm concerned.

So wipe that dirty smile off we

Won't be making up I've cried my heart out

And now I've had enough of love."

Beth grabbed a brownie pan and wooden spoon to bang a beat out. All the while, the two were sliding around the wooden floors with their soft cottony socks, both with matching grins overtaking their faces.

"Who wants to be riding high when you'll just crumble back on down.

You give up everything you are and even then you don't get far.

They make believe that everything is exactly what it seems.

But at least when you're at your worst you'll know how to feel things."

Beth felt that familiar ache in her muscles slowly ease as she danced around the family room, jumping on couches, shimmying and shaking like the best of them.

"Cause when hard work don't pay off and I'm tired

There ain't no room in my bed as far as I'm concerned.

So wipe that dirty smile off we

Won't be making up I've cried my heart out

And now I've had enough of love."

Right as the song was coming to a close, Beth suddenly stopped spinning, her arms slowly lowering from above her head, a look of pure shock appearing on her face. Quinn instantly took notice and turned down the tunes.

"Beth?" Quinn questioned, her voice thick with concern.

"I feel it," Beth whispered softly. Quinn raised her eyebrows at the pregnant adolescent, still confused.

"I feel Froggy," she replied, tears spilling down her cheeks. "I guess there was always just a part of me that didn't believe she really existed. Sure I am getting fatter, but I always just assumed it was a tumor, and the doctors had faked all the ultrasound, but there she is. Good God, she is a dancer, I swear those legs can kick."

Quinn walked over to the young girl, placed her palms over Beth's stomach, and stared at the flesh as a small bump appeared on her skin where a foot was pushing out. The two just stood there staring in awe. At that moment, Beth knew exactly what she had been fighting for all along.

The two were shaken from their daze as a loud knock rapped on the front door. Quinn bustled over, peeked through the peephole and instantly threw open the latch, eager to let the visitor in. Puck sauntered in holding three bouquets of pink gerber daisies. Before either of the girls could ask about the flowers Puck began to speak. 

"So, Jenny and Alex, the only two chick firefighters at my station, are super nosey about my life. Well when I left work so quickly to get to the hospital a few weeks ago, they forced me to tell them all about you two. When they found out about the baby being a girl they said I had to do something for you two, so I got these." He shoved two bouquets in Beth's direction and one in Quinn's. "God, I feel like my balls are gonna fall off."

Ignoring his last statement, Quinn looked up at the obviously flustered man before her. "That was incredibly sweet of you Puck."

She stood up on her tiptoes and placed a chaste kiss on his cheek. The blonde gathered all three bouquets and headed into the kitchen to put them into vases.

"Stop drooling," Beth deadpanned. Puck subconsciously wiped at his mouth, his face flushing red as he realized the idiocy of his actions. "Why don't you just ask her out already! You two both keep tripping around your feelings. Get over the past and move on to your bright future together!"

Puck's face became stoic as he nodded in agreement, determination engraved in his eyes as he headed into the kitchen. No longer than a minute after he entered the room, Quinn practically sprinted out headed straight towards Beth.

"Beth Beth Beth! What do I do? He asked me out tonight!" she squealed.

"Go for it!" Beth laughed.

"But, I don't want to leave you at home alone! That's not fair to you!" Quinn argued.

"Well, I think I can do something about that."

(TIME PASSES)

As Beth strolled down the shoreline, her hand intertwined in Gabriel's large warm hand, she couldn't seem to shake the uneasy feeling in her stomach that this scenario was far to similar her hospital dreams. Looking down at his pregnant companion, and seeing the unsettling look on her face, Gabriel immediately stopped walking and pulled Beth close to him. Leaning down, he brushed back a few stray strands of her hair and hesitantly pressed his lips against hers. Pulling back he cupped a hand against her flushed face.

"Sorry, you just look so gorgeous when you smile," he said, shrugging.

After what seemed like hours of building sandcastles and chasing waves, the two were getting ready to head back into the city for a quick dinner and a movie when Gabriel began to absentmindedly write in the sand with his big toe. He finished his sentence and began to walk back towards the car. Beth raced against the rising tide to read what he'd written in the sand. There, imprinted in the fine soil were the words "Je pense je l'aime". Although she had only take three years of French in high school, the words lit a fire deep within Beth's heart. Gabriel thought he loved her.

**Okay so that was much longer than normal but I wanted to get the Gabriel part in. I will update later this weekend. In the meantime please make smart choices and embrace the uncertainties of tomorrow! **


	24. Chapter 24: Poking Tummies

**Hey guys! A huge thank you to all of you who continue to read and review this little project of mine. I am so sorry it has taken me so long to update. Life has been incredibly hectic, seeing as I have four jobs and still go to school, so unfortunately this story has been put off quite often. I would just like to point out that MarlisaKristine has come to sort of like Quinn. I have succeeded in my goal! Now I can stop writing the story! Just kidding! Please keep up the reviews guys. It is going to be a lot harder to be consistent, and to keep the motivation going, so I would love some help to keep me interested! Can I also just add that Chord Overstreet is effing gorgeous? I hope his character is interesting because I would love to write about him. Enjoy.**

25 weeks. It had been 25 weeks since Shelley Chan's party. Only 15 more weeks and Beth wouldn't have to have elastic on her jeans any longer. 15 more weeks of backaches, swollen ankles, and the pitter-patter of little feet keeping her awake all night. Part of Beth was terrified of the thought of raising the little being inside of her. On the other hand, the stronger, more confident side of Beth, was eager to hug, kiss and squeeze her little froggy.

Beth still hadn't the faintest clue as to how her future would pan out. Would she go to college, or would she just spend the rest of her life working at Cafe Lalo and living with Quinn?

"Beth, Tina, I need your help at table three!" Quinn called out.

Deciding not to worry about the little unanswered questions that would ultimately decide the rest of her life, Beth chose to focus on the task at hand. Following closely behind Tina's bustling stilettos, Beth ran flat into the small Asian once Tina stopped abruptly, twenty feet from table three.

"Tina, come on, it's rude to stare at the customers," Beth teased. As she followed Tina's line of vision, however, it was instantly clear why the young woman couldn't go on.

There, crunched around the small cafe table sat three chairs, two of which were empty. Beth saw the dark brown hair and long toned legs and knew exactly who was at her table. Sitting across from the brunette was a man dressed up in suit and tie, his hair slightly side-swept from the strong winds outside. His vibrant blue eyes popped from behind the chic glasses. Beth had never met this man, but instantly knew who he was because of the signature wheelchair he sat in.

Wrapping an arm around Tina's back for support, Beth walked towards the table, a large smile on her face.

"Rachel!" Beth squealed. The teenager had gotten used to seeing her sister everyday, so the last few weeks had been quite difficult to be away from Rachel and her good cooking. As the two sisters embraced and greeted each other, both were fully aware of the awkward stare down going down between Tina and Rachel's nerdy companion.

"Hi Artie," Tina mumbled shyly, pulling an invisible strand of hair behind her ear.

"Hi Tina," he replied just as nervously.

"Sorry for just dropping in," Rachel spoke attempting to break the tension. "Nick and Finn are out ice skating in Central Park so we thought you two could take their seats until they come. Quinn already said it was okay."

"What are you guys doing here?" Beth questioned. "I didn't think you were coming up until Easter."

"Ah, well I just had a meeting with Duncan Sheik about a new musical he was writing. He wants me to debut it and since there really isn't anyone in Lima to stay for anymore, I am actually considering the role."

"Aww Rach that's great!" Beth gushed. "I would love to have you living up here again."

During the sisters' entire exchange, Artie and Tina just stood there staring at each other, neither knowing quite what to say.

The four shuffled around the small table, all trying to figure out what to say.

"Hey guys, I'm sorry, but do you mind if Tina and I talk outside?" Artie asked sincerely.

The sisters nodded their heads approvingly. Tina, looking quite apprehensive, subconsciously pushed Artie out into the bustling metropolis. Just as the two left, in walked Finn holding a very adorable shivering Nicky, his nose bright red from the cold.

"Aunt Bethy!" Nick squealed. Squirming to get out of his father's tight embrace, Nick jumped to the floor, landing in a Spiderman stance, and launched towards his aunt's open arms, his head landing right on the baby bump. As Beth began to reciprocate the affection, Nicky instantly shot up, a look of terror in his eyes.

"What's up dude?" Finn questioned.

"Her tummy poked me!"

The adults laughed at the child's obliviousness. 

"Honey," Rachel began, " Aunt Bethy has a baby in her tummy, you just felt it moving around."

Relief washed over the young boy as he began to inch back towards his aunt. He looked up at his aunt, questioning if it was alright for him to continue. With her nod of approval, he leaned his head down towards her stomach, mumbled a few words and planted an endearing kiss on her by the scene before her, tears once again welled in Beth's eyes.

Once Tina and Artie returned, both looking a little flushed, the gang scrunched around the small table and attempted to catch up on all the lost time.

As Beth got swept up in the groups tales of bad haircuts and parking tickets, she was ignorant to the jingling of the front door.

A warm stream of air brushed across Beth's neck, signaling an unknown presence. As a large hand landed on Beth's shoulder, the pregnant teen slowly turned around to greet the man behind her. A large smile erupted across Beth's already glowing face as she saw the warm chocolatey eyes of the man she loved staring back at her.

**Please do not kill me for leaving the chapter like this. I know it is short and may seem pointless, but it is setting up the next chapter...or chapters I suppose. Please please please review. **


	25. Chapter 25: Never Grow Up

**I just read that the glee cast reads fan fics…. what? That is the most bizarre thought. I wonder if they read mine. Probably not, because none of them are really in it. Haha. Anyways, I hope you are all appreciating this time off. Today is my first day off, so what did I do? I wrote a chapter. Hahah. You're welcome :P Oh by the way, this chapter was written to The Dog Days are Over by Florence and the Machine.**

As Beth got swept up in the groups' tales of bad haircuts and parking tickets, she was ignorant to the jingling of the front door.

A warm stream of air brushed across her neck, signaling an unknown presence. As a large hand landed on Beth's shoulder, the pregnant teen slowly turned around to greet the man behind her. A large smile erupted across Beth's already glowing face as she saw the warm chocolatey eyes of the man she loved staring back at her.

"Hey," she whispered shyly.

"Hey," he softly responded.

Rachel cocked a confused brow at Quinn as she watched the two adolescents gawk at each other. Quinn just shrugged, not quite sure how to explain the paradox that was Gabriel and Beth. The two had an undeniable connection, both understanding the other perfectly, despite the fact that they had known each other for only a few weeks.

Eager to be introduced to the new man in her little sister's life, Rachel loudly cleared her throat, attempting to get Romeo and Juliet's attention.

Quickly shaken from her daze, Beth snapped her head in Rachel's direction. Noticing the curiosity bursting from her sister's eyes, Beth's stomach began to flip as she realized that she and Gabriel's relationship could no longer be just between the two of them.

"Oh sorry. Guys, I would like you to meet Gabriel Johnson. He is my…" Beth stopped. She didn't really know what Gabriel was. She looked back at her guardian angel looking for an answer.

"I'm her boyfriend," Gabriel answered while smiling at Beth reassuringly.

"He is my boyfriend," Beth repeated, loving the taste of the word on her lips.

Everyone else introduced themselves and soon the buzz of conversation resumed. Watching Gabriel answer every single one of Rachel's plethora of questions, made Beth fall for him a little more.

Completely lost in her boyfriend's eyes, Beth failed to notice the five year old tugging on her sleeve. Desperate for attention, Nicky climbed up onto his aunt's lap and grabbed her face.

"Well hello there Nick," Beth laughed.

"Aunt Bethy!" the child whined. "I am bored. Can we _please _do something else!"

Beth sympathized for the young boy. After all, what child enjoys just sitting still and talking?

It wasn't too long after that Beth found herself walking down the bustling streets of New York holding both her nephew and boyfriend's hands, allowing the adults of the group a few hours of peace. Although Easter was just a few days away, the city was still freezing, a fact anyone could verify by glancing at the three travelers bright pink noses and cheeks. The three escaped the harsh winds as they descended further and further into the subway station.

As they walked onto the platform after purchasing their tickets, a small fight broke out in front of the young travelers. Nicky's body instantly froze up. He had never experienced anything like this.

Without being told, Gabriel picked up the young boy and held him tight against his chest. As Nick buried his head into the crook of Gabriel's neck, the three pushed forward into the crammed car. After what seemed like hours, the three shuffled off the subway and out onto the cold street.

"Hey Nicky, you should probably start using those legs of yours again. No one is going to get you out here, I promise," Beth said.

Nick just whimpered slightly and hid further in Gabriel's neck.

"It's fine. Really," Gabriel responded. He shifted Nick's body so that he had one hand free, and grabbed Beth's ice cold fingers. The three crossed the bustling street and trotted up the steps to the museum entrance. As they neared the ticket booth, Gabriel whipped out his wallet eager to pay for the tickets.

"Gabriel, put your wallet away, we invited you out!" Beth protested.

"Oh hush," Gabriel replied. "I insist."

Beth wasn't quite sure why she didn't speak her mind about her dislike of men always paying for women. Perhaps it was his adorable smile, or perhaps it was how she felt like butter on warm toast whenever she was around Gabriel, nevertheless, Beth decided to follow Gabriel's advice and just keep quiet and enjoy the day out with her boys.

Once inside the museum, Nick was completely at ease and enjoyed every bit of the historic building. As he skipped down the African hall he couldn't contain the little squeal that erupted from his mouth after coming face to face with all of Simba's friends.

Beth was quite positive, however, that she was enjoying herself just as much as her nephew was. As Nick stood on the very highest branch of the baobab tree replica in the kid's discovery room, boasting of his accomplishment, Gabriel grabbed the kindergartener by the waist and flew him around the room as if Nick was one of the bird's nesting in the trees protective branches. With every interaction Gabriel and Nick had with each other, Beth became more and more aware of what a great father Gabriel would be, which only made her fall deeper in love with him.

When the sun began to slip behind the trees outside, Beth realized it was time to get Nick home, fed and in bed. She signaled to her watch so that Gabriel would get the message and soon her boys sitting right next to her on the bench, still giggling about their African adventures.

"Hey Nick, you are putting your shoes on the wrong feet!" Beth teased her nephew.

"They are the only feet I have!" Nick responded quite confused.

"No, bud, she means switch your shoes around," Gabriel laughed at the boy's foolishness.

"Oh. Well why didn't you just say that Aunt Bethy?" Nick questioned.

"Yeah Aunt Bethy!" Gabriel quipped.

(time passes)

A few hours later, Beth lay still in her bed, her stomach full from the lasagna Gabriel had made for dinner. Since there weren't enough beds in the palace and Nick was too scared to sleep out on the couch by himself, Beth graciously allowed the young boy to sleep in her bed with her. As she lay staring at the ceiling, an old song from Rachel's high school mix softly played in the background. Beth did not instantly recognize the song, but the soft guitar and mesmerizing vocals lulled her into a dream-like state as she got lost in the sound.

_Your little hands wrapped around my finger  
And, it's so quiet in the world tonight  
You're little eyelids flutter cause you're dreaming  
So, I tuck you in  
Turn on your favorite night light  
To you, everything's funny  
You got nothing to regret  
I'd give all I had, honey  
If you could stay like that_

_Oh, darling don't you ever grow up  
Don't you ever grow up  
Just stay this little  
Oh, darling don't you ever grow up  
Don't you ever grow up  
It can stay this simple_

Beth watched her nephew's chest rise up and down with each new breath. She longed for life to be that simple again.

_I won't let nobody hurt you, won't let no one break your heart  
And no one will desert you  
Just try to never grow up, and never grow up_

You're in the car on the way to the movies  
And, you're mortified  
Your mom's dropping you off  
At fourteen, there's just so much you can't do  
And you can't wait to move out someday and call your own shots  
But, don't make her drop you off around the block  
Remember that she's getting older too  
And don't lose the way that you dance around in your PJ's getting ready  
for school

Oh, darling don't you ever grow up  
Don't you ever grow up  
Just stay this little  
Oh, darling don't you ever grow up  
Don't you ever grow up  
It can stay this simple

Beth could still remember the days when her biggest fear was that her eyebrows weren't plucked just right, or she would show up at school wearing the same outfit as Jennifer Brown. Those things seemed some trivial to her now as she looked down at her little froggy.

_And no one's ever burned you  
Nothing's ever left you scarred  
And even though you want to  
Just try to never grow up_

Take pictures in your mind of your childhood room  
Memorize what it sounded like when your dad gets home  
Remember the footsteps, remember the words said  
And all your little brother's favorite songs  
I just realized everything I had is someday gonna be gone

Those simple days of her childhood were gone. She could barely recall her mother's voice, or what she dressed up as for Halloween through the years. She just wanted to know, to remember that at one time nothing hurt and everything was sparkly and new.

_So, here I am in my new apartment  
In a big city, they just dropped me off  
It's so much colder than I thought it would be  
So, I tucked myself in and turned my night light on  
Wish I'd never grown up  
I wish I'd never grown up_

_Oh, I don't wanna grow up  
Wish I'd never grown up  
Could still be little  
Oh, I don't wanna grow up  
Wish I'd never grown up  
It could still be simple_

**That was Never Grow Up by Taylor Swift in case you were wondering… I will try and post the rest of the story pretty quickly, seeing as I don't have to work for two weeks during Christmas break. I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving/Hanukkah. Oh and Merry Christmas. Please review and alert! Sorry for the long wait. I hope the length made up for it. **


	26. Chapter 26: Daddy Elephants

**I am back for a few more chapters, and then this little story will come to a close. I hope you will all follow me over to my other story after this journey has ended. My best friend has helped me plan out every chapter for it already, so I know where I will be going, I just have to get up the motivation to leave. Well with that being said, here is Easter everybody.**

It was a crisp Sunday afternoon in April. Puck, Finn, Artie, Sam and Mike were all huddled around the grill, sharing a six pack, watching the burgers darken, acting as though the cold did not faze them one bit. Inside _The Palace _Gabriel indulged Nicky and crawled around on all fours, trumpeting like an elephant, as the young boy held on to the man's back, pretending to be an explorer in the fierce Sahara. All the while, Tina, Mercedes, Kurt, Blaine, Quinn, Rachel, Brittany, and Santana fussed over Beth's enormous stomach, and compared their ex and current boyfriends to Gabriel, which only made them gush over how lucky Beth was to have found such an amazing man.

"So, how serious are you two?" Kurt inquired.

"Well, um, he is my boyfriend." Beth did not know how to explain her relationship with Gabriel.

"What is he like in bed?" Santana questioned.

Beth could feel her face turning bright red, completely embarrassed by the Latina's question. After all, Beth and Gabriel had never really done more than kissed. Beth was unsure how she would react if they went any further. Luckily for her, Beth did not have to answer this outrageous question because the interrogation just kept on going.

"Do you think the two of you will get married?"

"Is Gabriel up for being the baby's father?"

Beth became more and more overwhelmed as the questions continued to come. She honestly did not know the answer to any of these. Her life was twisted enough as it was, she did not need to lose one of the few good things in her life, just by assuming their relationship was more than it was.

Almost as though he had sensed Beth's stress, Gabriel walked over to the group and placed his large, warm hand on Beth's back, causing all conversation to quickly come to a close.

"Hey guys! Sorry for being so anti-social, I promised the little guy a trip to Africa," Gabriel explained. "What were we talking about?"

Ignorant to how awkward the situation was, Brittany quickly responded, "We were just wondering how serious your relationship with Beth is!"

Gabriel glanced down at his girlfriend and smiled at her, as if he now understood exactly what had been going through her head.

"Well," he began, "Although Beth and I have never really talked about it, I plan on staying by her side for as long as she will have me. I love her and I know I will love that little baby inside of her as if it were my own," Gabriel replied confidently.

He leaned down briefly kissed Beth and whispered in her ear, "I'm sorry if that embarrassed you."

Beth just shook her head as the tears welled up in her eyes. She knew at that moment that Gabriel deserved to know the truth about her past, no matter how much it hurt her to recall those painful memories. If he was in it for the long run, then she had to prove that she trusted him.

Beth was shaken from her thoughts as the men came inside with the freshly grilled hamburgers. Although picnic food was not your stereotypical Easter dish, this was not your stereotypical dinner, and Puck refused to come if he had to wear "nice shit".

As the old friends sat around Quinn's lengthy dining room table, Gabriel's hand rested on Beth's knee, his thumb slowly moving back and forth. Puck had already launched into a boisterous monologue about one of his comical co-workers. Nicky, who had drenched his burger with ketchup, now had the red condiment all over his clothes. Blaine had an arm wrapped around Kurt, lovingly protecting his husband. Artie and Tina, who had recently stoked their old flame, kept secretly sneaking a glance at the other, both making sure they hadn't dreamed the whole thing up. Mercedes' face lit up every time she received a text from Alex, her new boyfriend, whom she had high hopes for. Everyone seemed to be happy and enjoying themselves, everyone except Beth, who was incredibly anxious to get this talk with Gabriel out of the way.

_Time Passes_

The old gang had left _The Palace _an hour ago, to go see the Broadway revival of _A Chorus Line._ Beth and Gabriel were stuck with all the dirty dishes and an exhausted child, asleep on the couch. As far as Beth was concerned, the dishes were a relief, because they meant she could put off talking to Gabriel for at least another hour, and if she planned it right, maybe even two.

She scraped off the burger grease and left over potato salad into the trash can with extreme vigor. Beth knew that if she kept this secret from Gabriel much longer she would burst. Gabriel gently lifted the sleeping Nicholas and carried him into the guest room. Every time Beth watched the two of them interact she felt her heart warm just a little more.

Focusing her attention back on the large tilting stack of dishes, Beth was ignorant to her boyfriend's presence.

"You seem tense," Gabriel noted. "I'm sorry if what I said earlier upset you."

"Please don't apologize," Beth replied. "You have done nothing wrong. In fact, without you, I don't know where I would be right now. I just, well…. You deserve to know the truth about me, about the baby."

"Only if you are ready."

The low hum of the dishwasher echoed throughout the small kitchen, as the two stood staring at each other. Beth grabbed Gabriel's hand and pulled him to the family room and into the large chair. She sat in front of him, knowing that if she looked into his eyes, she would be too ashamed to continue.

"I don't know where to begin even," Beth mumbled.

"The beginning is always a good place," Gabriel responded.

"Well I suppose it all began on Halloween at Shelley Chan's birthday party…."

Beth spoke for nearly two hours about everything, the attack, running away, meeting him, losing her mother, and Jason. Through some narratives she laughed, with others she sobbed, but all the while Gabriel was there, reassuring her every word, just like she knew he would be.

**I now have a set time where I can write a few pages every day, so I will hopefully get back into the swing of things and finish this story rather quickly, but I do say that quite often. I am heading to NYC next weekend, however, so I might be inspired!**


	27. Chapter 27:Let the Nightmares Begin

**I apologize deeply for the lack of posts. I suppose it just pays too much of a toll on me to think too deeply about the situation. If you hadn't noticed, the chapters over the past few months have been rather fluffy. I didn't want to feel the pain, just the possibility of happiness. Well I am ready to feel again. Sorry for those of you who like the fluffy. It will be going away for a little while. This chapter was written to In a Closet in the Middle of the Night by Priscilla Ahn.**

After talking for what seemed like hours, Beth found herself physically and emotionally exhausted. Beth had somehow made her way to the floor, after the chair had been too suffocating, and Gabriel, who seemed to be at a complete loss of what to do, just followed suit. Stoically, she turned on the television, hoping that Gabriel would take the hint and allow her to just ignore the truth for a little while longer.

She was painfully aware of how vulnerable she now was, and wanted nothing more than to escape that reality. So she did the only thing her body would allow her to. She curled up on the ground and gave into its overwhelming desire to sleep.

As soon as her body surrendered to the exhaustion, visions of that fateful autumn evening flash behind her eyelids. His eyes, dark with lust, stared straight into her fearful ones, burning a hole into her soul. She tried to struggle, to get his body off of hers, but the weak attempt only caused him to strengthen his grip on her arms.

"Shh Baby, stop moving," the man whispered into her ear. "You know you want it."

"Please," Beth whined, "please stop."

"Too late," he replied as he rolled off of her.

Beth looked down at her exposed midriff, as a large mound formed underneath its skin.

"You will never escape me," he spat. "Every time you look into your precious baby's eyes, all you will see is me starring back at you. "

"No," Beth moaned, "please leave her out of this!"

The man leaned down to the swollen womb and swooped closer and closer to the skin until his lips lightly touched the exposed area.

The unwanted contact caused Beth to jolt from her dream. After awaking, however, she still feels the man's presence on her stomach. Glancing down towards her little froggy, Beth saw a large masculine arm draped over side, a hand laid over her womb protectively.

Startled by the connection, she wormed her way out of the man's embrace. Her pulse began to quicken, a cold sweat forming around her brow. She quickly moved into the corner of the room and wrapped her arms around her knees, desperately trying to protect the little being inside of her. She won't let him touch her. She won't let him near her baby.

As the tears began to stream downs Beth's face, she felt his sickeningly warm hands grab onto her shoulders.

"Beth?" the man questioned. "Beth, please talk to me. What's wrong?"

"Please stop, please stop, please stop," Beth began to whisper hysterically.

"Babe, you are safe. I'm not going to hurt you. It's me, it's Gabriel," he pleaded with her as he tried to help her off the ground.

"Let go of me!" she screamed. "Just let go of ME!"

"Alright, alright," he replied softly. "I'm going to go get Quinn."

Consciousness slowly trickled back into Beth's brain as she took in her surroundings. She recognized the photos of family and friends throughout the room. She could hear the low hum of the dryer, tumbling a load of laundry in the next room over. She knew she wasn't back in Shelley Chan's basement, but for some reason, she couldn't shake this overwhelming fear that had taken over her.

Leaning against the wall, her body begins to shiver from the intense distress that has consumed her. Before long, Quinn's soft face, etched with concern, is looking down at her.

"Oh honey," she whispered softly as she sat down next to her distraught daughter.

"Why is he here? Make him leave me alone. Please!" Beth pleaded.

"Beth, he isn't going to hurt you-

"Please!"

Unsure of what to do, Quinn looked up towards the young man, hoping he might have the answer.  
"It's alright," Gabriel spoke softly, the pain evident in his voice. "I don't want to make this any worse for her. Will you call me if she needs anything?"

Quinn nodded her head, hoping that Gabriel wouldn't take this outburst of Beth's personally. Once the Brit had left, Quinn attempted to get her daughter to relax into her.

"Baby, please just tell me what happened."

Beth's hand began to slowly rub circles over the little amphibian inside her, who was now doing flips in her womb.

"He can't win. He can't win. He can't win. He can't win," Beth repeated the mantra to herself over and over again.

She wasn't quite sure how long Quinn held her close softly whispering words of reassurance to her, but it was painfully obvious to Beth when the blonde had let go of her. She heard Quinn's soft voice a few feet away.

"Hi Artie," Quinn spoke, her voice laced with fear. "No, it's not. It's Beth. She needs your help."


	28. Chapter 28: Sexy Times with Chewbacca

**The next three chapters will hopefully explain a bit more of what Beth has been going through, and what her life was like before everything turned to chaos. The flashback in this chapter was written to One Week of Danger by The Virgins. Please please please review. I need the motivation!**

Beth sat stiffly against the rigid couch, fidgeting with the hem of her blouse, her toes tapping to the ticking of the large grandfather clock in the corner.

"Are we just going to sit here for the next hour, or are we supposed to talk about something?" Beth questioned the man sitting across from her in his sleek wheelchair.

"Would you like to talk about something?" Beth shrugged. "What _would_ you like to talk about Beth?"

"Well you are the expert here. You tell me," she retorted.

Artie shifted uncomfortably in his seat, obviously unprepared for Beth to be so guarded.

"I guess the most apparent question to ask, is why do you think you are here?"

Beth slowly looked down at the tight bunch of cloth she had been squeezing in her hands. She had never been more fascinated by her nail beds as she was at this moment. She mumbled a few incoherent words.

"What was that Beth?" Artie questioned.

"Because I'm broken," she whispered a little louder.

She looked towards the large oak door leading out to the lobby. The knowledge that Quinn was right outside those doors, gave her some much needed strength.

"Tell me about a time before you felt broken," Artie suggested.

Beth began to chuckle as she went further and further back into her memory.

"It's been a long time since I felt normal," she replied sincerely. "I suppose October 30th was the last time I felt whole."

Artie nodded at her, silently asking her to continue.

"Back then, I finally was getting the chance to know my big sister since she moved in down the street with her family, I had the perfect all-star athlete boyfriend, I was captain of the dance team, Glee club was second in status only to the Cheerios after winning nationals, and I only had two months left of high school until I could take the world by storm. I had it _all_…"

_As Beth walked down the halls of McKinley High, her hips swaying seductively beneath the skin tight spanks she wore, the massive student body of her school parted like the Red Sea as she passed through on her way to her boyfriend's locker. The girls looked after her, envious of her long toned legs, secretly wanted to be her. The boys watched her sensual walk, not so secretly wanted to be with her. _

_Nearing Jason's locker, Beth quickly stopped walking, a confused look smeared across her face. He was nowhere near their normal meet-up spot. Was she early? Just as Beth was starting to get annoyed from this instant vulnerability she felt without her boyfriend near, everything around her disappeared as two large hands covered her emerald eyes. _

"_Guess who," a deep masculine voice whispered in her ear._

_A large mischievous smile erupted across Beth's face, "Mmmm, Principal Figgins, I thought I told you we couldn't keep meeting like this."_

"_Ew, you dork," Jason lowered his hands to Beth's shoulders and whipped her around so she was facing him. _

_Beth softly chuckled, "I thought it was funny!" _

"_I see how it is, you will put out for Chewbacca, but not for me!" he replied stubbornly._

"_Hey," Beth chided. "I thought we talked about this. I refuse to end up like the notorious Quinn Fabray. I have heard enough warnings from people around town who expect me to get knocked up just like she did! Apparently the citizens of Lima, Ohio believe _much_ more in nature than nurture. I am not going to have sex _simply_ because I refuse to let their prophecies come true!"_

"_I know, I know," Jason huffed. _

"_Come here," she whispered as she pulled her boyfriend's chin closer to her face and closed the gap between them, their lips brushing in a chaste kiss. _

"It seems like you were a mini Quinn, even though you were trying your hardest to not be like her," Artie commented knowledgeably.

"I guess I was. Anytime someone at school talked about her, they only mentioned her 'slutty' behavior. I didn't know any of her story. I didn't know how 'perfect' she was up until she became pregnant with me. Honestly, I didn't really know anything about Quinn until Rachel moved back in…"

_The movers down the street were_ _carrying in the last few boxes of Rachel's Broadway memorabilia as Shelby, Beth, Rachel, Finn, and Nicky were sitting outside on the Corcoran household's porch. They slowly sipped their iced teas and lemonades, soaking in the warm summer sun and cool breezes. _

"_So Beth," Rachel questioned, "are you eager to get your last semester of high school over?"_

"_Good god yes!" Beth moaned. "I can't wait to go live somewhere where no one knows who I am, and can't compare me to someone else."_

_Rachel and Finn looked at the teen questioningly. _

"_People around town tend to mistake Beth for Quinn quite often," Shelby informed the young couple. _

"_I get that we look alike, but besides that we have nothing in common!" the teen replied. "It's almost like everyone just keeps waiting for me to make a mistake, to screw up." _

"_I'm not sure what people tell you about Quinn," Finn spoke up, "but she really wasn't a screw up. She made one mistake, and ended up having to pay for it over and over again."_

"_Didn't she cheat on you with your best friend?" Beth asked incredulously. "Why are you defending her?"_

"_Don't get me wrong, I hated her for what she did," Finn clarified, "and it took me many years to forgive her, but now looking back at it, I understand exactly why she slept with Puck."_

_The women all looked at Finn questioningly, eager to see what the former football star would say. _

"_Quinn and Puck both came from families where the parents weren't really concerned about what was best for their children. The Fabrays were all about appearance. Quinn had to be the perfect angel; she was captain of the Cheerio's, president of the Celibacy Club, Honor Roll student, and girlfriend of the quarterback. She had to maintain this image of flawlessness. Unfortunately, she learned the hard way how lonely it is at the top. Puck's mom had too many demands of him. He was the man of the household, and as such he had a lot of pressure put on him. He had to help pay the bills, and watch out for his little sister. They never got the attention they longed for from their parents, so they turned elsewhere to get the care they so desired. They understood each other, more than I would have ever been able to understand them. They gave each other they attention they wanted so desperately."_

"Wow. Finn's smarter than we all give him credit," Artie chuckled.

Beth nodded in response. "It was at that moment, that I did everything I could to learn about who Quinn had been in school, who she really was, not who everyone made her out to be."

"What did you learn?"

"I guess I learned that we were a lot more alike than I was originally willing to accept."

"Hmmm. A very wise observation," Artie commented. "That's all the time we have for today Beth. I am so grateful that you were open and willing to talk. Can we pick up where we left off on Wednesday?"

Beth smiled and nodded, eager to get out of the office and back with Quinn.

As she stepped out into the lobby, the blonde stood up a look of pure concern splashed across her face. She walked hesitantly towards the pregnant teen.

"Hey, so I know it's not really cold outside anymore, but I was thinking we could go get a massive cup of hot chocolate and walk around Central Park for a little while, and just enjoy this beautiful day," Quinn suggested.

Beth took a step closer to her biological mother and wrapped her arms tightly around the older woman's neck, the baby bump between them make the action slightly awkward.

As the teen stepped backwards, she noticed the dorky smile on Quinn's face.

"What was that for?"

"I don't know where I would be without you there to help me get through these past few months. I guess, I just wanted you to know that I love you."


	29. Chapter 29: Pink Boxers

**Part Two of Beth's therapy sessions. There should be a separation that shows time passing between Beth and Puck's conversation, and the beginning of therapy, but who knows if there actually will be one! I have no idea how to make lines that separate them! Haha fanfic newbie! The flashback was written to Oh My God by Ida Maria. The rest of the therapy session was written to Angel by Sarah McLachlan. Please review! Thank you to those of you who do! Especially Coley. I love you!**

The air around Beth was thick with fear. Her palms were sweaty; a cold chill ran down her back. She dragged herself off of the musty old couch she had been crumpled into, fervent to find an escape. Looking up at the old neon sign in the corner she saw the minute and hour hand sprinting around counterclockwise. They were spinning so fast, their movement produced a low hum. She made a move towards the door at the top of the stairs, trying to get out of Shelley's basement, but as she touched the first wooden stair, the door slammed shut, blocking her exit. She turned around quickly, looking for another way out. When she spotted the small windows that lined the top of the basement, she shuffled towards the closest one. Glancing outside the foggy window pane, Beth was relieved to see that the coast was clear, and punched a hole in the thin glass with her heel. As she wiggled her shoulders through the small hole, however, a large hand grasped onto each of her legs, pulling her back inside the house. One look at the man's piercing blue eyes and she knew that she could never escape him.

Beth jolted out of bed, her sheets wrapped tightly around her calves, as if she had been squirming inside of them. Her heart began to slow a little more with each breath of realization that she was back in her bedroom, and that the man could not hurt her.

She climbed out of bed, painfully aware that she would not be going back to sleep that night, no matter how hard she tried. At least, that's how it had been the past few nights. Slipping into her bunny slippers, Beth shuffled down _The Palace's _long hallway, and was surprised to see a warm light being emitted from the kitchen. Waddling into the room, Beth was shocked to see a topless Puck, clad only in a pair of boxers, drinking milk straight from the carton. She stood still, her hands on her hips, as he lowered the carton from his mouth, a white mustache across his upper lip, a guilty smirk on his face.

"I don't know which I should feel embarrassed for," Puck chuckled, "drinking milk from the carton, or standing in your kitchen with my boxers on."

Beth raised her right eyebrow, but didn't utter a word.

"Jeez woman! Will you say something? You are worse than my mother!" Puck begged, a crooked smile on his face.

Soon Beth's face had a matching smile, she couldn't keep up the act for long.

"I think you should be most embarrassed by the fact that your boxers are pink," Beth chuckled.

"Oh no! Don't go dissin' the pink. I could be wearing a pink ball gown, with bows and shit, and still look sexy as hell."

"Ah, so you're who I got my modesty from," Beth replied.

Puck shrugged, "What are you gonna do about it?"

"Nothing. What are you doing here so late? Or do I not want to know?"

"I may or may not have…how do I word this for your baby ears… spent the night with Quinn."

"Noah Puckerman! I don't care how many chromosomes I share with you, I will kill you if this is just some stupid one night stand. Quinn does not need to deal with that shit," Beth fiercely whispered at the man before her, an intense protectiveness taking over her.

"No no no," Puck promised, "I love her Beth. I have always loved her, ever since Kindergarten when she screamed at me for scaring all the other girls. No other woman has ever come close to being as perfect as she is."

"Ya?" Beth questioned a large grin on her face.

"Ya. If it weren't for you Beth, Quinn and I would have never been anything more than a one night stand in high school. I don't know where I would be if that was the case. The two of you, you give me a reason to live."

#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/##/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/##/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/##/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/##/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/##/#/#/#/#/

"What did you want to talk about today Beth?" Artie questioned her from his sleek metal chair across the room.

"I was thinking we could talk about that night," Beth whispered, already feeling weak.

"Are you sure?" Artie replied, obviously hesitant of moving too quickly.

"I want the nightmares to stop. I want to feel safe again. The only way that can happen is if I escape him."

"Alright," Artie acquiesced, "tell me about Halloween."

"I was invited to the party by Melanie and Jenna, two girls on the dance team. I didn't know them that well, but Jason and I had been fighting all day, and I really just wanted a night to forget…"

_Beth stood at the end of Peach Street, Shelley's house was about ten houses away, but she could already hear the music with its forceful bass. Under any other circumstances, she would never have gone to this party. She knew it was just an excuse for her peers to get drunk and hook up with no consequences…or so they thought. _

_Beth had been upset with Jason for the past few days. She understood the demands that the school and the town would place on them as the "it" couple. While Jason understood that they should maintain a respectable public image, he felt that their relationship revolved solely around this ideal. He didn't think Beth knew how to have fun, to let loose, so he ended it with her, in favor of finding someone who could help relieve his tension. _

"_I'll show him I know how to have fun!" Beth muttered to herself before walking determinedly into Shelley's house. _

_Right as she walked inside the incredibly outdated home, Beth felt incredibly uncomfortable. She had opted to wear one of Rachel's old skirts from high school, going for the vintage look, but apparently Rachel had more self-confidence then she did. She was acutely aware of its length, or lack thereof, and how it probably gave guys the wrong idea, but at that moment she was trying to appear more carefree, so she decided to play into those looks of desires she kept getting, and swung her hips a little more than usual with each step. _

_After a beer, Beth had become more relaxed with the loose atmosphere. That was when _he _walked up to her. She had never seen him at school before, and just assumed he was a friend of Shelley's or someone else at the party. He was good looking, with those piercing aqua eyes and large muscular body. It wasn't until after he had lead her down to the basement that she began to question his motives. _

_As his teeth began to gnaw at her neck, Beth began to struggle, doing everything in her power to escape. He responded to her pleas with a quick slap to her cheek. The stinging sensation that was now taking over her entire face, only made her more determined to get away. As he wormed his beefy hands under her skirt, she took advantage of his distraction by reaching for the empty beer bottle behind her head. Just as the bottle was about to impact with the back of his skull, he reached out and grabbed onto her small wrist. Once he had forced the bottle out of her hand, he shook any thought of escaping out of her mind, by punching her in the mouth. _

"_I'm sorry baby, I had to do that. You want this. I know you do," he growled at her._

"_No," Beth whined, "please, no."_

"_Shhh shhh shh."_

_As his lips worked their way down around her body, she wasn't thinking about his good looks, or skilled hands, instead she just stared at the large neon clock on the wall, hoping that maybe just this once, time would move a little faster._

"Beth, I am so sorry you had to go through that," Artie spoke softly, the sadness reflected in his sapphire eyes.

"Don't be. It's _my_ fault it happened. _I _wore the skirt," she spat, "_I _followed him down the stairs. _I _didn't say no to him kissing me. _ I _didn't fight hard enough. It's _my_ fault. He was just doing what he wanted to do. _I_ wasn't strong enough to object. I don't have a right to be upset about what happened, or where I ended up. He didn't attack me, he didn't kidnap me, or start making out with me out of the blue. I just didn't want to go that extra step. It's _my _fault."

"Beth look at me," Artie said forcefully. "This is not and never will be _your _fault. He took advantage of you. He was so much larger than you, there was _nothing_ more you could have done to stop him. When he hit you, that was an attack. You were attacked Beth. You need to let yourself off the hook, and stop thinking like this was your fault. You need to acknowledge that something was taken from you without your consent. _He _is at fault here Beth. Not you. Never you."

Beth looked to the ground her eyes pooled with unshed tears, "Can we be done for today?" she replied meekly.


	30. Chapter 30: Crustless Sandwiches

**So I had to re-write this chapter twice. I am so glad I am getting a new computer on Friday because this old piece of crap doesn't like to save any of my work. It is incredibly frustrating to loose work, but especially writing. I feel like I lost a little piece of me, bizarre, I know. Anyways, this is the last therapy appointment for now… PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW.**

"Egg shell, crushed peony, wax sculpture, whipping cream. Damn, and that's just the whites! People get paid for this shit?" Puck questioned exasperatedly.

He had chosen to join Quinn and Beth on a little excursion to the Home Depot on West 23rd Street, under the impression that every warm-blooded male should never pass up an opportunity to do a little home improvement. Staring at a wall of pink swatches, however, was of no interest to him. According to Quinn, Artie had suggested the outing in order to help Beth "nest" and prepare for the baby. Apparently painting walls and rearranging furniture would do the trick.

"Have any ideas for the color, Beth?" Quinn asked ignoring her boyfriend's antics.

"Umm. Not really," she replied sheepishly.

"Well, does anything stand out? Or perhaps any color you want to avoid?" Quinn persisted.

"I suppose I don't want a red room… or yellow. Rach gave me these papers," Beth began to pull out a thick packet computer articles, "she said all colors have meanings, and that it is crucial that I pick out the color with the right connotation. With all this baby is going to deal with, I am not sure the color of her nursery will really make that much of a difference."

"It certainly won't hurt to take those into consideration though."

After two hours spent searching through the various paint chips, the trio had decided to take break from paint swatches, seeing as all the colors started to blend together after a while, and because Beth had another appointment with Artie scheduled.

Beth sat flush against the couch in Artie's office, the piece of furniture now slightly molded to her shape after so many visits. Patient and doctor stared at each other from across the room, both silently hoping the other would speak first. Artie was hoping Beth had made some improvement from the previous session and would be willing contribute on her own free will. Beth, however, was slightly embarrassed by her slight display of weakness last appointment, and was hoping that perhaps, if she remained quiet, she wouldn't embarrass herself any more than she already had.

"So, Beth, how is the nesting going? What does it feel like to prepare for the baby?" Artie asked after a few minutes of stale silence.

She sat in silence, fiddling with a loose string on her blouse.

"My mind is a bit conflicted about this whole preparation thing. I suppose most obviously, I am scared shitless. I am scared that every time I look at her, I will only be able to see him, or be reminded of him. I am scared that I won't love her enough, or be able to protect her. How can I consciously bring an innocent baby into a world that is full of so much pain and suffering?"

Artie nodded to her response, "Well then what is the conflict?"

"I guess, for every ounce of me that is terrified of this new stage in my life, there is a part of me twice its size that is incredibly excited to see my little Froggy. I cannot wait to count her fingers and toes. I can't wait to braid her hair, and cut off the crust of her PB&J sandwiches," Beth took a deep breath, the look of excitement on her face slowly being replaced with utter sadness, "I can't wait to wipe away her tears, or comfort her from a bad dream. I can't wait to sing her lullabies, and teach her everything there is to know about Broadway."

Guilt was splashed across the pregnant adolescent's face.

"Beth, there is nothing wrong with wanting those things," Artie replied slightly confused, "any good mother would want that for their child."

"My mom was a good mother," Beth spoke softly.

Artie was struck with realization, "Beth, you have every right to miss your mom. You have every right to be upset because she is not here to help you with this, but Beth, you have to know, that you can do this. You are completely capable of taking care of this baby on your own. Already, you have shown this unborn child more love and commitment then most mothers show their children in a lifetime."

"What if it's not enough Artie? What if all my love for her doesn't make up for _his_ brutality? She needs that strong male influence. I know I didn't have a father growing up, but I at least had Mr. Schue, and man who taught us all how true men behaved."

Artie smiled at the thought of his old Glee coach. "What about Gabriel, Beth, do you think he could be a suitable father figure?"

"I think so," Beth replied honestly, "I mean, based purely off of his interactions with Nicky, but in all honesty, I don't know Gabriel at all. I don't know how he was raised, or what his hopes and dreams are for the future," she paused to collect her thoughts, "I suppose I could look past all of that, but the main thing that troubles me about Gabriel, is that I don't understand how he could love me, how he could want to be with me even though I am broken."

"Perhaps you should ask him," Artie offered.

It was because of this suggestion that Beth found herself pacing back and forth at the Central Park entrance at 59th street and 8th avenue, desperately attempting to spot her boyfriend through the crowd. She tried to block out the bustling pedestrian traffic around her, but found that only made her more anxious about the questions she had to ask Gabriel. She toyed with the small music not hanging from the end of the silver chain around her neck with her left hand, while her right hand rested over Froggy. Just as Beth was about to give up and call Gabriel to see where he was, she spotted his bright smile coming towards her. He was walking briskly, a cup in each hand.

"Hello beautiful," he leaned down and kissed Beth on the cheek, "I'm so sorry it took me so long. I stopped at Starbucks to get us some hot chocolate because from the sound of your voice over the phone, it seemed like one of us might need the comfort it provides after this conversation is through. Unfortunately for me, the line was bloody long. Please, however, do not inform Quinn that I supported the enemy."

"Your secret is safe with me," Beth replied with a small smile.

Sensing the tension, Gabriel decided this conversation would probably work best if he just jumped right in. "What is it you wanted to discuss dear?"

The stress in Beth's body was becoming too intense for her to restrain.

"Ummm, walk with me?" she pleaded.

Gabriel acquiesced and the two began to stroll, arm in arm, along the blooming pathway. Once they approached a playground, however, and Beth was able to see all the blissful children running around, she was unable to keep her fears at bay any longer.

"Why are you dating me even though I am pregnant?" she blurted out.

A small smile graced his face, "Ahh, so that is what has you so tense." He grabbed her shaking hand, and motioned her towards the bench behind them.

"First of all, let me begin by reassuring you that I fell for you long before I knew you were pregnant. From the first time we met, Beth, I knew I had fallen for you. You were so witty, and strong, and beautiful. I envied that raw determination you had in your eyes. That raw determination I still see clearly in those gorgeous eyes of yours every time I look in them, despite everything you have been through."

He reached over and held her hand in his. "I suppose now would be the time to tell you that my mum was a single mother. She had me when she was 19, and her dead-beat boyfriend, my biological father, was never around. She didn't date anyone because she didn't trust anyone around me, and I was the most important thing in her life. I know how lonely she was when I was growing up. She just needed someone to support her and love her. When we met back up in the city I was shocked that you were pregnant, but it just made me more confident that I was supposed to be with you. It just verified why I couldn't get you out of my head. I know you are not ready for a serious commitment, and you might not be ready for anything at all, but I will be waiting for you until you are ready. I want to be the man my father never was. I want to be there for the woman I love."

He looked down at his clenched fists, unshed tears pooling in his eyes.

"Gabriel, look at me," Beth pleaded. "I love you."

As Beth spoke those three foreign words, she knew she could never take them back, but just looking at that goofy grin that was now plastered across Gabriel's face made her want to say them over and over again, just so that he would always be that happy.

#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/##/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/##/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/##/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/##/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/##/#/#/#/#/

Quinn and Puck had spent the entire evening out dancing at various local clubs, so it made sense that when they returned back to _The Palace_ that evening that they would be utterly exhausted. It was with this stupor that the two stumbled to their daughter's closed door, light bleeding out from the crack underneath. As Quinn pushed the door open, the two were astonished to see a multitude of paint swatches, clippings from _Restoration Hardware_ magazines, and random articles from the internet sprawled out across Beth's bed and floor.

"Oh hi guys!" Beth chirped. "I didn't even hear you come in!"

"Oh. My. Goodness. You will not believe what I have figured out! As you can see from the few paints that I have sampled, the nursery is going to be a dark olive green. According to Rach's research, it symbolizes peace, growth, harmony, healing, and most importantly, safety. Out of these different floor options, I decided the best would be this dark cherry wood, with matching furniture. To balance out the amount of darkness, and the lack of little girl frills, I thought it would be fitting to incorporate the Cherry Blossom into the room. Here was my predicament. The Cherry Blossom has two incredibly different meanings in the Chinese and Japanese cultures. In China, the flower represents feminine beauty and feminine power, whereas in Japan, it symbolizes how transitory life is. That all things, especially pain and suffering, pass. If you combine the two, however, I find the product to be quite satisfactory. Despite all the suffering that lead to her birth, this little girl will be a symbol that pain passes, and love prevails. What do you think? Perfect, I know," she didn't even wait for a reply.

Bzzzzzz. Bzzzzz. Bzzzzz.

"Whoops! That will be the laundry, excuse me!" she leapt from the bed with surprising power for a woman so pregnant.

"Beth, what's happening?" Quinn asked.

"Oh nothing really," the teen replied. "Gabriel and I just went out and bought a few necessities for our little Froggy."

Quinn and Puck remained in the doorway as Beth waddled down the hallways, both completely confused at this turn of events.

"Who the hell was that?" Puck questioned. "Because that sure as hell didn't come from my genes, and I know it wasn't you."

The two looked and each other trying to figure out what new side of their daughter they had just discovered. Their eyes expanded as the realization struck.

"Rachel," they replied simultaneously.

**Well there you have it folks. Another segment in this little tale. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW. I need the motivation desperately.**


	31. Chapter 31: Mocking Eyes

**Thank you to all the reviewers! Every time I get a new e-mail saying someone else reviewed or favorited or is even just following the story, it makes me more motivated to write, so please make sure to continue doing those lovely things. And please make sure to include anything you might want to see in this story. I try my hardest to include extra scenes to include what you all want to see. Oh this is for my dearest Coley. Happy Birthday baby girl. Enjoy!**

Beth, Gabriel, Quinn, and Puck had spent every spare moment they had had over the past few days making sure their little frog's room was perfect. Beth found that no matter how many showers she took, she was still constantly discovering green paint dried on her body. As she sat leaning against Gabriel's muscular frame, in the back of the electric car Puck had rented for the weekend, Beth found more chunks of paint dried to her wavy chestnut hair and subconsciously picked at it for the entire drive out of the city.

"You know Puck, if you hadn't insisted upon the selling of my beautiful car, we could've driven it down to Lima instead of this clown car," Beth complained.

"Oh hush B," Puck retorted, "We wouldn't be going down to that hell hole if it weren't for you."

Beth sighed with defeat as she realized how true his statement was. "You're right, and if it weren't for this little Froggy, we could all be taking a two hour flight, and have it over with."

"Hey, stop beating yourself up, hun. We all chose to come on this trip with you. We want to be there to support you," Gabriel replied, sticking up for his very pregnant girlfriend.

"I just feel like I need to be there to support the team. After all, they have all been so supportive throughout these past few months, and through all of high school." Gabriel reached out and entangled his fingers with Beth's showing his silent support.

"I know what you mean," Quinn spoke softly. "Besides, it will be fun to see what has come up with this year for the Glee Club's pre-national show!"

After an hour of reminiscing about past glee performances, Beth laid her head on a sleeping Gabriel's lap and lightly shut her eyes. She could feel Quinn's warm gaze on her from the front seat.

"I'm glad she is finally getting some rest," Quinn whispered to Puck.

Puck grunted in agreement. "You know these past few days, it feels like we are seeing the real Beth, not the broken shell of her. It seems like she really is healing," Quinn continued.

"You seem like you are healing too," Puck gently replied.

"I don't know what-"

"Come on Q. We both know that you were never the same after you let that baby girl go." Quinn must've looked incredibly defensive because Puck quickly replied, " You just seem happy now. Your smile actually reaches your eyes. I've just missed seeing the real Quinn. The girl I fell in love with back when I was 15, the girl I am still in love with."

The conversation fell silent in the front seat, but Beth was too nervous to risk her cover and open her eyes, so she just lay still on Gabriel. After what seemed like hours of silence, Beth pulled herself off her boyfriend and leaned forward to look into the front seat. Quinn was sound asleep, both of her hands grasping desperately to Puck's free right hand, a small smile gracing her lips.

"Hey Sleepy Head," Puck whispered warmly.

"Heya Pops," Beth replied cheekily, a comfortable silence enveloping them.

"So have you thought of any names for the baby?"

"You mean I can't just call her Froggy for the rest of her life?"

Puck just raised an eyebrow in response.

"I haven't gotten that far yet," Beth replied, "I still have a month left to think it over. It has to be perfect. After all, she will be stuck with it for the rest of her life. I mean seriously, I don't want her name to be from a random Kiss song."

"You are so lucky that Quinn has a vice grip on my hand right now, otherwise you would be getting tickled so intensely that you would pee your pants, guaranteed."

"I guess I will just have to take your word for it," she replied smugly.

The four arrived at the Hudson household just before 5 in the morning, the silence of the night, and the smell of freshly cut grass instantly flooded Beth with memories of stargazing and firefly catching with her mom. Gabriel, Quinn and Puck shuffled out of the car, following Finn's towering form to the guest bedrooms. As Beth walked into her sister's home, her senses were overwhelmed with the pungent smell of peppermint and hot cocoa.

Rachel was sitting on her plush couch holding two cups of the concoction. The vision was so inviting to Beth that her eyes welled with tears as she sat down close to her big sister.

"How is my baby girl doing?" the diva questioned.

"I'm doing okay. Just being back in Lima makes me nervous, though, and I miss her even more."

Rachel nodded knowingly, " I miss her too. I can't look down the street at your old house without choking up."

The two sit silently sipping their hot drinks, allowing the warmth to comfort them.

Rachel's eyes quickly bug out in excitement, " Oh goodness, Bethy, I forgot to tell you! We are moving back to the city. Duncan wants me to be a part of the workshop for his new show."

Tears began to stream down Beth's face as she gripped her sister's sweatshirt in a bone-crushing hug.

" Sweetie?" Rachel asked, her voice laced with concern, "Why are you crying?"

"I just…" Beth hiccupped, "I just missed, my, my bbbb- big sister. It will just bbbb- be nice to have a little bbb-bit of my old life bbb-back."

She laid her head down on Rachel's lap, as the older diva ran her fingers through Beth's hair. The simple act of comfort, and the knowledge that Rachel was moving back to New York quickly lulled Beth back to sleep.

After a few hours of sleep and a hearty meal to make up for the lack of breakfast and lunch, the four New Yorkers and the Hudson family made their way over to William McKinley High School for the annual preview of the Glee Club's National set list.

The auditorium was already packed, the club's reputation having gone up drastically. As the large masses of warm bodies shuffled past the small family, Beth grew more and more anxious. She was skillfully avoiding looking into anyone's eyes, too terrified that those piercing sapphire eyes she saw in every nightmare might be staring back at her.

"Come on Beth. You talked about this with Artie. You knew this was going to be hard, but you can do this. Remain calm," she chastised herself, " Yasher Koach. He can't win. Don't let him win."

Gabriel's hand never left Beth's petite one. He seemed to sense her inner turmoil. He led her to their row of seats, reserved near the front. Beth listens to the first set of songs, and even sings along to the ones she remembers practicing. As the group's first set was coming to an end, Micah stepped up to the microphone and clasped his bulky hand over the top of his eyes, in order to see the audience more clearly.

" So what do you think so far?" Micah questioned the audience. He chuckled in response to the hollering. "How about that choreography? I'm glad you are enjoying the show! All the Gleek's, myself included, just aren't really feeling the 100% tonight, unfortunately. You see, we are missing one very important member of our club. Um, Beth Corcoran, our best dancer, and head choreographer, left the club a few months ago. She has gone through more in the past eight months, then I have in my entire life." Micah coughed, his voice thick with emotion, "Beth is actually here with us tonight. Beth, do you mind coming up here?"

She looked up at Micah, a confused look on her face.

"Oh get your fine little ass up there," Rachel whispered excitedly.

Beth waddled up to the stairs where Micah offered his hand and then wrapped an arm around her.

"Beth we have all been incredibly inspired by the amount of strength you have shown in this dark times," Mr. Schue began, " This song is for you because you showed us all what true love is."

_It's in the eyes of the children As they leave for the very first time And it's in the heart of the soldier As he takes a bullet on the front line It's in the face of a mother As she takes the force of a blow And its in the hands of the father yeah As he works his fingers to the bone yeah__._

Beth's eyes welled for the nth time that night as she saw every member of the club singing directly to her.

_I'm standing under a white flag oh Can you see me oh, can you see me oh I'm standing for everything we have oh Can you hear me oh, can you hear me_

_This is why we do it this is worth the pain This is why we bow down and get back up again This is where the heart lies, this is from above Love is this, this is love_

_Love is why we do it love is worth the pain Love is why we fall down, get back up again Love is where the heart lies love is from above Love is this, this is love_

As she looked out over the audience in front of her, she swore she could see the man everywhere. Her heart rate began to quicken.

_It's in the soul of a city What it does after it crumbles and burns And it's in the blood of a hero To know where he goes he may never return yeah_

_I'm standing under a white flag oh Can you see me oh, can you see me oooh I'm standing for everything we have oh Can you hear me oh, can you hear me_

_This is why we do it this is worth the pain This is why we bow down, get back up again This is where the heart lies this is from above Love is this, this is love Love is why we do it love is worth the pain Love is why we fall down, get back up again Love is where the heart lies love is from above Love is this, this is love_

_This is love, this is love …_

As the song came to a close and the audience rose for a standing ovation, Beth swore the world stopped turning. There sitting in the front row, starring directly at her are two piercing blue eyes.

Beth's breathing quickly became too desperate. Micah seemed to notice her weakness, and caught her just before she hit the stage.

Micah looked down at Beth, his eyes wide with fear, " What is it Beth?"

Beth looked up at the seat where she thought she saw the man who attacked her, and quickly realized it wasn't him.

"Beth?" Quinn appeared by Beth's side, her face and body appeared calm, but her eyes told a whole other story. Beth looked up at Quinn, tear spilling down her cheeks and simply muttered, "Something's wrong with Froggy."


	32. Chapter 32: Hazel Birdies

**Hello all! Thank you again for all your feedback, it means the world to me. I have actually had a name for Beth's baby since I first thought of her pregnancy, so for those of you with suggestions, I respect and appreciate them, but I unfortunately won't be using them. The italicized in this chapter is a flashback. Oh this was written to "The Story" by Brandi Carlile. **

There had been many moments in Beth's life, where she wished she could just curl up under her covers and close her eyes. She thought that if perhaps she could just will her body to sleep, that maybe when she woke up, whatever nightmare she had been living would just, disappear. As she sat squished between Quinn and Rachel in the back of their rental car, she experienced similar desires.

"Noah Puckerman, if you don't respect the rules of the road, it won't matter how fast you drive us all to the Emergency Room, because we will all be dead anyways," Rachel hissed.

"I'm sorry my driving is not up to your ridiculous standards Berry, but I am being safe. I just want to get my baby girl into the hospital as quickly as possible so that we can save her baby girl," Puck huffed back.

Beth was sure neither Quinn nor Gabriel had taken their eyes off of her since they got in the car, but she wasn't paying them any attention. The only thing on Beth's mind was that for the first time in the past few months, she couldn't feel Froggy stirring within her.

It had taken quite a bit of persuasion on Beth's part to convince Puck that she didn't need to be carried into the Emergency Room, despite the fact that she secretly just wanted to be held and reassured that everything would be alright.

As the crew rushed through the translucent glass doors, they were greeted by a familiar face.

"Oh Honey, I am glad you are finally here. That Hudson boy called fifteen minutes ago, and I have just been wearing a hole in the floors here from all my pacing," Jackie, the voluptuous nurse Beth had befriended during her last stay at the hospital, choked out.

"Quick now," she continued, " get in this wheelchair so we can go save that little one of yours… again."

Beth was moved into the first available room rather quickly, and shortly after that , the Corcoran family physician, showed up with an eager look spread across his face.

"Well good evening everybody!" Dr. Cohen greeted the large crowd, "Tonight is a beautiful night to save lives, is it not? Yes, well, it appears that you have gone into premature labor, Beth. Going off of what I heard about the circumstances, it seems like labor was enduced because of intense stress. Don't worry though, dear, your baby still has a very high chance of coming out perfectly healthy. You appear to be about 4 centimeters along, which means you are in active labor! Now, with all that being said, you still have to dilate to 10 centimeters, which could take anywhere from four to eight hours, after which, you will be ready to give birth. Now, since we have a long wait ahead of us, I think it would be best if only one person were to remain in Beth's room, especially seeing as this birthing will probably be quite difficult."

Beth looked around at her patchwork family all scrunched inside the petite room. She looked into each of their eyes, well aware that they were all just there to ensure her safety and happiness. Then she saw Quinn. She had been too caught up with all the anxiety to even pay attention to stunning blonde. Quinn's hand hadn't left Beth's since they were on stage. As she stared at the two interwoven hands, Beth was caught off guard by a small trace of color on the inside of Quinn's wrist.

She removed her fingers from Quinn's in order to get a closer look. There, inked in differing shades of light brown and green was a little songbird.

" I need Quinn to stay with me," Beth replied confidently.

"Very well then, it would be best if the rest of you just shuffled down to the waiting room. We will make sure to keep you all posted," Dr. Cohen continued, " Beth we will get you set up on an IV, and run a few more tests to get a better handle on the situation."

With that the room slowly cleared out leaving Beth and Quinn alone for a few hours. They settled in the stiff hospital bed together, and shifted through the few cable channels the hospital provided. Neither of the girls really focused on the Friends marathon, however. After the sixth consecutive episode of the show, Quinn broke the silence.

"Well the apple certainly hasn't fallen far from the tree," Quinn chuckled.

"What do you mean?" Beth questioned.

"Well we both left Glee performances to give birth!" she replied as though the answer were obvious.

"Hey Quinn?' the blonde looked up at her daughter. "When did you get that tattoo?"

Quinn's eyes glazed over as she reminisced. "Right after your 12 year old dance recital."

"How did you know about that?" Beth replied.

"Because I went to it. I went to every dance recital you had, starting with your adorable 3 year old recital where you were the only girl up there who knew the routine, and ending with you 12 year old recital where you were in every single song."

Beth stared at Quinn, obviously startled by this news. "What made you stop coming?"

"Your mom saw me. She saw me desperately wishing you were apart of my life. She knew just as much as I did how hard it was to see your child so happy without you…"

"_Quinn!" Shelby hissed as she approached the blonde who had obviously been crying. She was hunched against the theater's back wall, her white lace dress hung off her emaciated shoulders. The 28 year old looked up at the graying woman. Even though Quinn's eyes were red and swollen, she still looked gorgeous, a paradox that always confused Shelby. As she got a closer look at those hazel pools, however, Shelby noticed how lost and empty they looked. _

"_Quinn, honey, I know how hard it is, but you can't keep living your life like this. You have to be strong for Beth, so that one day when she comes looking for you, she can see you as the strong woman that you are. You have to be strong for her."_

"_I don't know how I am supposed to live without her," Quinn choked. "I feel incomplete, like I failed her."_

"_Hush, I will not listen to such lies. When you gave her up, when you let me raise her, you gave the two of you a chance at a normal life. You would still be stuck in Lima, living in poverty, constantly under the shadow of your past. Now you have a chance to make a name for yourself. Use that business degree you worked so hard for. Maybe open up a shop, or travel around the world, or dance until your feet bleed. Just live Quinn. If you do that, you won't have failed anyone because someday in the near future, she is going to need someone, and I won't be able to help her. And when she comes looking, Quinn, you make sure that she is proud of who her mother has become."_

"Your mom seemed to flip this switch in my brain. I picked up my bag, marched out the theater doors, and didn't look back. The only stop I made before I hopped onto that airplane back to New York was at Bobby's Tattoo Parlor, to get this," Quinn held her wrist up for Beth to see.

"I was terrified that leaving you meant forgetting you, so I figured if you were permanently apart of me, then there would be no chance of forgetting. I made sure the color matched your eyes… our eyes," Quinn spoke softly.

Beth was about to respond to the extremely touching gesture, when she felt what seemed like a dull knife wiggle through the center of her body at a glacial pace.

"Quinn-" Beth gasped, "Quinn, I , I think the contractions are, are getting stronger!"

The young girl stopped speaking immediately as a scream escaped from her lips.

"I'll go get Dr. Cohen!" Jackie hollered from the doorway.

"It's okay baby girl," Quinn said soothingly, "I am going to be here every step of the way."

Sure enough once Dr. Cohen was given the chance to examine Beth and Froggy, he confirmed Beth's fear. He looked up at Quinn and just nodded.

"Beth, it's time. It's time for you to push. Now I know how hard you have fought to keep this little girl already, I just need you to fight for a little bit longer."

Beth looked into Quinn's eyes and saw the pride and fear splashing around inside. She gripped onto the blonde's hand, and took in one soothing breath, silencing the world around her. This was it.

Letting out the breath she had been holding she pushed with everything she had. With each new push she let go a little bit more. She let go of the past. She let go of Shelley Chan's basement, and it's neon clock. She let go of Jason and his disapproval. She let go of the 18 wheeler and it's blinding lights. She let go of her future fears, and her past mistakes. She let go of everything. Everything, except the extreme desire consuming her body to protect her daughter.

"Alright, Beth, I can see her head. We just need one final push to get her shoulders out, and we will do the rest," said firmly.

"Come on baby girl, I know you are worn out. I know how tired you are, and how much it hurts, but you are almost done. She is almost here," Quinn whispered into Beth's ear.

Beth pushed with all her might, completely aware that she was literally tearing at the seams, to ensure her daughter's safety.

"Ahh there she is!" Dr. Cohen called.

Beth smiled exhaustedly at the thought. Fear began to course through her veins, however, when she failed to her the tell tale screams.

"What's wrong?" Beth asked desperately. Dr. Cohen and the team of nurses moved over to the side table, concealing the baby between them. "Why isn't she crying? What's wrong?" Beth choked.

"Shh, shh, shh, they got her sweetheart. They've got her," Quinn chanted in Beth's ear, attempting to hold up the crumbling girl before her.


	33. Chapter 33: Hitchcock Beauties

**Thank you to all you wonderful reviewers. There was one reviewer in particular who was interested in a possible sequel. At this point, I only have a few more chapters planned out for Beth, but as many of you are well aware, I tend to write more than I plan. There will be an epilogue at the end of this story, and perhaps someday that will turn into a sequel. I am hoping to actually turn my other fanfic into a legit story though. This was written to "Save you" by Matthew Perryman Jones.**

Beth and Quinn were lying together on the firm bed once more; neither mother nor daughter were too concerned with the Hitchcock classics playing out on the TV screen. Beth's face felt stiff from all the dried tears. Her throat was scratchy, her nose raw. Quinn had both arms wrapped around the scared girl, her left hand slowly brushing through the brunette's long hair.

Jackie had informed them a few hours ago that the baby had been taken to the NICU where she was being treated for respiratory problems, hypoglycemia, and poor thermoregulation. The nurse didn't seem to think these conditions were anything to be too worried about, but Beth's body was flowing with an intense amount of hormones, and being away from her daughter for any reason was painful.

Beth had been fluttering in an out of consciousness for the past few hours. Running an absent hand down towards her stomach, a shot of fear hit her heart with a pang as she realized that she could no longer protect her little Froggy by just laying a reassuring hand on her abdomen.

She looked back at Quinn, hoping to see her sympathetic smile and perhaps hear a few reassuring words. Unfortunately for Beth, Quinn was fast asleep. As she watched her biological mother sleep soundly, Beth was oddly calmed by the woman's soft snores.

Out of the corner of her eye, Beth saw a slight movement in the corner of the room. There, propped up in the chair Quinn was supposed to be sitting in, sat a radiant Shelby Corcoran. The older woman turned her attention away from the window at towards her fragile daughter.

When Shelby and Beth's eyes connected, Shelby just smiled. Beth began to feel wetness on her cheeks and looked up at the ceiling for a possible leak. With her eyes off of her mother, Beth began to notice the overwhelming smell of Shelby's lilac perfume throughout the room.

"Baby, stop those tears. We have no time for sadness. I want to see my granddaughter." Shelby extended a long graceful hand towards the bed Beth laid in. She could clearly see the scar on her mother's hand from where she had burnt herself while curling Beth's hair for one of her many dance performances.

"Oh angel, I won't bite." Beth grabbed her mother's hand, and smiled despite herself, as she found that their hands still fit perfectly. The adolescent was wobbly on her feet, so Shelby wrapped a reassuring arm around her back in order to steady her. Her mother led her down the empty hallways of the maternity ward towards the NICU. There was only one baby inside the stark white room. She laid there with her scrunched face and tiny red hands. Beth had never seen a more beautiful sight.

"You did it baby girl. Look at that little star you made," Shelby sighed.

"What if she doesn't make it Mommy? What if she isn't strong enough?" Beth whispered, terrified of the answer.

"With a mother as strong as you? Angel, if she got even an ounce of the strength you have, she will be strong enough," she replied without a hint of doubt in her voice.

Beth just nodded, attempting to be as confident as her mother. She laid a shaking hand against the glass that was protecting her daughter, never wanting to leave the infant.

As if she had read her mind, Shelby spoke up, "Come on, we have to get you back to bed. You have to build up that strength so you can be there for your little Froggy."

The two glided down the hall towards Beth's room.

"Ooh a Hitchcock marathon!" Shelby giggled, " Someone knows how to take care of you! Dial M for Murder, Rear Window, To Catch a Thief, Ahh what classics. Grace Kelly was always my biggest idol. She had such poise and dignity, and this, this silent strength."

Beth just watched her mother drift across the room, completely in awe that the older woman was even there. Shelby tiptoed over to where Quinn laid, and brushed a stray hair off the blonde's forehead.

"She always reminded me of Grace…. You take care of our girls, Quinn."

Shelby moved back towards Beth and ushered her to the bed. Once the adolescent was safe under the covers, she tucked her daughter back into bed for the last time. Beth closed her eyes, which just caused the tears that had built up to run free. She felt her mother's warm breath against her face as Shelby kissed both cheeks, and heard her quietly whisper, "L'Chayim".

When Beth finally opened her eyes, Shelby was nowhere to be seen, but she still felt the warmth from where her mother's lips had softly pressed against her skin.

"Mmmmmm," Quinn began to stir beneath her. As her eyes fluttered open, she began to glance around the room, slowly taking in her surroundings. When her eyes landed on Beth, a large grin erupted across her face.

"Oh goodness," Quinn began, "How I have missed that beautiful smile of yours."

Beth reached up to her face to confirm Quinn's statement. Sure enough, she felt the slight dimples in her cheeks.

"What has gotten you so happy?"

"I finally know her name."


	34. Chapter 34: Fashionable Frogs

**Hey so for those of you who follow the Glee cast on twitter, was it creepy or sweet that Iqbal Theba compared Dianna to the Shakespearean sonnet. I think it makes Beth's joke about Principal Figgins a little bit more disgusting… and plausible. Sorry for taking so long. I just moved to NYC, so it has been a bit stressful! Last chapter, only the epilogue left! I figured I should finish before Beth actually comes back to the show. **

Beth stood perfectly still. The air was thick in the NICU, the thick plastic cover of the incubator was the only barrier between Beth and her beautiful baby girl. As the brunette stared down at her sleeping child, she noticed that something was not quite right. Her normally rosy skin was quickly turning pale. As she leaned in closer to the incubator to try and see more clearly, the beeping of the heart monitor attached to the infant's chest began to quicken. Heat flushed the young mother's face as panic gushed throughout her veins.

"Nurse!" she began to cry, "Please help me! Anybody! Help save my baby!"

As Beth stood helplessly staring at her daughter, the monitor's rushed beats shifted to a singular load wail.

"Beth."

Someone was slightly pushing on Beth's shoulder.

"Beth, honey, I'm sorry to wake you up, I know you haven't gotten much sleep in the past week, but Mercedes and Kurt are here to see you."

The young brunette slowly opened her eyes and glanced down at the weight on her chest. There curled perfectly into Beth's curves was her little frog, her round face pressed against Beth's collar bone, her mouth slightly pursed. Beth had never seen a more beautiful sight in her life.

"Do you hear that Gracie?" Beth whispered to the sleeping infant as she drew circles on the baby's back, "Someone wants to meet you."

"Here," Quinn reached out towards the Grace, who obviously did not want to wake up. "I will go change her diaper so that you can make yourself presentable."

Beth smiled graciously at the blonde.

"I am not sure that is possible what with these atrocious bags under my eyes."

"Oh hush," Quinn replied. "They are your war wounds. Wear them proudly."

Once Quinn had successfully picked up Grace and ushered her out of the room, Beth climbed out of the plush bed and shuffled over to the mirror.

Starring back at her was an 18-year-old girl. Her wavy chestnut hair drifted down to her shoulder blades. Her skin was slowly gaining a slight tint from the intense summer sun. Just from looking at her, one would be unable to know all she had been through over the past few months. If one looked closely, they would be able to notice her more curvaceous hips, or perhaps the slight discoloration from the scar above her eye, the only reminder remaining of the car crash. Beth looked relatively the same as she did before that fateful night at Shelley's party, and yet Beth knew that she would never be the same.

She pulled her hair back into a ponytail, reapplied some mascara, threw on the only clean sundress hanging in her closet, and headed out into the family room. There perched on the edge of the couch sat Kurt and Mercedes. They were surrounded by a dozen or so black bags with the words "Barneys New York" printed on the side.

"Ahhh!" Kurt squealed. "Look at our hot Mama!

"Oh my goodness!" Beth exclaimed. "What did you two do?"

"Oh this?" Kurt questioned, motioning towards the bags sprawled out behind him. "Oh this is nothing, just a little bit of this and a tad bit of that for our new favorite baby."

"You guys-" Beth admonished.

"Now you hold it right there Mama," Mercedes intervened. "When you first came to visit Quinn I had just moved to Manhattan. My firm was opening up a new branch in the city, and although it wasn't necessary for me to travel out here all the way from Chicago, Kurt and I were worried about Quinn, so I decided to come check some things out. It was about six years ago when Quinn started to make something with her life. She seemed to have a new drive, a new found love for life. We both know that it was because of you. She needed to become the person you would be proud of."

"I know this already. Why would that concern you? "

"Because that drive she had so strongly for the past few years was fading. I think she started to believe that no matter what she did, she would never get to see you."

Beth's face fell. She never knew how hard the separation had been on Quinn.

"Baby girl," Mercedes raised Beth's chin, " don't pity her, just listen. After your visit, it was like she was a new person. It was like she found her place in the world again."

Beth's eyes began to water just as Mercedes shed a tear.

"So these," Kurt said gesturing to the gifts, "are our way of saying thank you for bringing a vibrant light back to our lives."

"They are just a few things for you… and your baby girl!"

"Speaking of which…" the threesome turned around at the sound of Quinn's voice coming from the doorway.

Both Mercedes and Kurt squealed at the sight of the infant dressed in a pink onesie and a giant flower headband.

After two hours of making Beth try on all her new clothes and gushing over her baby, the fierce duo decided it was time to let the young mother rest. As they opened the front door to leave, however, they were greeted with the sight of a very winded Puck. The Jewish man looked panicked and was obviously trying to conceal something behind his back.

"Oh hi guys," Puck said quickly, "Do you mind if I take Beth and Froggy out for some hot chocolate?"

Quinn looked back at the brunette in question.

"What do you say B? I know how tired you are, I am sure Puck would understand if you aren't up to going out today," Quinn spoke softly.

"No, no it's fine. I would love to get some hot cocoa," Beth said, hoping that perhaps she would get the truth behind Puck's bizarre behavior if she went out.

Beth rushed to get the stroller ready and then quickly headed down to the street with Puck.

"Alright, what the hell is wrong with you? You seem like you got caught with your hand in the cookie jar."

Puck looked around him to make sure no one was near, and then ushered Beth and the stroller over to a vacant table at the café nearest to _The Palace._ Once they were all seated, he placed a teal bag on the table, with the world Tiffany & Co. emblazoned on the side.

"Well first of all, this is for you," he said as he pulled a small box wrapped in a white bow out of the bag.

Beth opened the box, and there staring back at her was a white gold necklace with a cursive "G" hanging from the chain. Tears welled in the corner of Beth's eyes as the sleeping infant laying next to her began to fuss.

Instinctually Puck leaned into the stroller and pulled out the crying baby. The little froggy quickly calmed down at Puck's soothing voice.

"That's my little Grace Kelly," Puck hummed, " Already a charmer."

"Puck," Beth began, "I don't even know what to say."

"B, this is the least I could do. After I got out of high school, I was in a bad place. I was working as a bouncer at a club downtown, which although it was totally badass, it made my entire life a giant party. I found myself hooking up with meaningless girls to try and distract myself from loosing the two people who actually meant something to me. Quinn and I had barely kept in touch after high school. It was just too painful to be around each other. Then one day, she was just there, at my work, waiting for me to get done with work. She waited 6 hours until my shift was over at 3 am. She waited for me, and, well, she told me all about you, about how she had been seeing you every year, about how beautiful and perfect you were, about what Shelby had warned her about…She told me how she was making a name for herself, and was going to start managing the café she had worked at for the past few years. She told me that she wanted to help me clean up my act, so that you could be proud of me someday too."

Beth internally continued to blame the pregnancy hormones for her frequent waterworks as she wiped a stray tear from her eyes.

" I signed up to be a firefighter that very morning right after our breakfast. It was also at that moment that I realized that no woman would ever compare to Quinn Fabray, not in my eyes. I called her every other week, just to make sure she was okay, and I tried my hardest to stop by the café once a month and leave a much larger tip then was necessary," he said this last part with a wink at Beth.

"In fact," Puck continued, " I was going to check on her at the café when I first saw you for the first time. I just said 'to hell with it' and jumped in the cab next to you, just to be sure you were you."

Beth looked at the burly firefighter before her, a look of complete shock all over her face.

"You did what?" she exclaimed.

"Oh come on Beth," Puck replied, " Who really travels ALL the way to JFK if they aren't taking a flight out of the city! That is besides the point, though. I guess why I am telling you all of this, is because you changed our lives Beth. You made us better and stronger then we ever though we could be, and I know that little Gracie right here will do the exact same for you."

Beth reached out for her Froggy, eager for the reassurance her presence provided.

"Well now I am really at a loss for words," Beth retorted, "and in major need of a hot cocoa fix. Can I stick that bag in the recycling on the way in?"

Puck's entire face flushed with a look of panic, "No, no, no, leave that here."

"Why?" Beth asked, confused once more, "What else is in the bag?"

He just grinned up at the young mother before him and reached inside the spacious bag. As he pulled his hand out, he was clutching a small black ring box.

"See for yourself."

**So, I just finished watching the second episode of Glee, and I saw the preview for next week's episode. It is kind of funny because I actually considered going the route of having Quinn trying to get Beth back through a custody battle, but I didn't want to vilianize her. Way to not follow my lead RIB. The Epilogue will come before next week's episode… hopefully :)**


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